ALLEN PARK ? EcoMotors has landed another partner, this time Navistar International. The agreement will develop a commercial turbo-diesel version of EcoMotors opposed-piston, opposed-cylinder engine.

EcoMotors says its engine and powertrain packages are designed to be 15- to 50-percent more efficient, smaller, lighter, and less expensive to manufacture than conventional internal combustion engines.

Last year, EcoMotors signed a deal with Chinese automotive parts maker Zhongding Holding Group to build an opoc engine development center in Shanghai, first focusing on truck engines, then on passenger cars.

Last year, EcoMotors raised a $23 million Series B round from Khosla Ventures? Vinod Khosla and Microsoft co founder Bill Gates.

?We are delighted that Navistar, a global leader in the commercial vehicle industry, has recognized the game-changing promise of OPOC,? Khosla said. ?The only truly disruptive technologies are those that can provide not only rapid payback but also economic and carbon benefits to large segments of the world?s population without the need for subsidies or massive infrastructure investments. Among next-generation propulsion systems, the OPOC engine is broadly applicable and can provide lower carbon emissions than almost any other technology.?

EcoMotors? patented engine design creates an internal combustion engine family architecture that will operate on a number of different fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas and ethanol. The OPOC?s new opposed piston-opposed cylinder direct gas exchange operation provides the well known emissions benefits of four-cycle engines, the simplicity benefits of two-cycle engines, the power density of the less well known opposed piston engine, and new developments in electronics and combustion technology, all tied together in a new and proprietary engine architecture.

The OPCO engine comprises two opposing cylinders per module, with a crankshaft between them ? each cylinder has two pistons moving in opposite directions. This innovative design configuration eliminates the cylinder-head and valve-train components of conventional engines, offering an efficient, compact and simple core engine structure. The result is an engine family that is lighter, more efficient and economical, with lower exhaust emissions.

EcoMotors? OPOC engine has a number of advantages over traditional internal combustion engines. The OPOC engine has a high power density of nearly one hp per pound resulting in an unprecedented lightweight and compact engine. The OPOC engine is perfectly balanced enabling stackable power modules. This unique modular displacement capability is one of the long standing, but elusive goals of engine engineers? quest for high efficiency. In addition, it also results in much less noise, vibration and harshness than a conventional engine of comparable power.

Its simple design allows for low cost, efficient manufacturing and increased operating durability, because of 50 percent fewer parts than a conventional engine, straightforward assembly, no cylinder heads or valve-train and the fact that it uses conventional components, materials and processes.

As greater power density is achieved, a range of critically important attributes will result, including lower weight, smaller size, lower material costs, lower friction, greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions and lower heat rejection.

EcoMotors? intellectual property also includes an electrically controlled turbocharger technology which incorporates an electric motor in the turbo assembly to regulate boost pressure resulting in a long list of unique advantages, including improved combustion efficiency to meet emissions, electrically controlled variable compression ratio, improved vehicle fuel economy, enhanced vehicle drivability due to improved low-end torque, the elimination of turbo lag, and waste heat recovery by generating electricity.

The development in clutch technology enables customers to take advantage of the engine?s modular displacement capability. The clutch assembly is housed between two engine modules, and is engaged when vehicle power demands require both modules to deliver power. When the power of the second module is not needed, the clutch is disengaged, allowing the second engine to stop completely. This not only improves fuel economy dramatically by reducing parasitic losses, but also improves the efficiency of the primary module.

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