Example projects and capabilities include:
Engines
- Development of a new 10-litre truck engine for Hyundai Motor Company
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- Calibration of a number of US 2010 truck engines
- Extensive screening of aftertreatment technologies for Euro 6
- An advanced engineering programme looking at achieving very low (US 2010 compliant) engine out NOx
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- Design and development of a new light truck engine for India
- Assistance to a global engine OEM with localization of a truck engine for India
Driveline & Transmissions
- New 10-speed manual transmission for heavy duty trucks and 6-speed DCT for light duty trucks
- Torque upgrade of an existing light duty truck transmission
- New, class leading, actuators for a heavy duty AMT
- New helical range section for a 9-speed manual transmission for heavy duty trucks
- New angle drive for city buses
- New combiner transmission design and production supply for an electric bus
- New transmission for hybrid bus and production supply
- Clutch control software to upgrade an existing medium duty AMT
- Application engineering and supplier management for a new range of medium duty trucks
Vehicles
- New light and medium duty trucks for South East Asian Market – full vehicle engineering content and hand-over of responsibility once the client’s facilities and team were established in-territory and capacity/capability established.
- New US light commercial vehicle market entrant for a global OEM – responsibility for chassis frame, suspension and powertrain integration activities for both gasoline and diesel powertrains in both 2WD and 4WD configurations
- Legacy upgrade for a Chinese light commercial vehicle for a global OEM – responsibility for initial concept feasibility assessment, detailed design release and prototype vehicle build in China. Pick-Up and SUV vehicles variants both LDD, 2WD and 4WD
- Product reintroduction into the US market for a global OEM – responsible for initial market re-entry feasibility study, full vehicle package concept confirmation and for upgrade of all vehicle safety related systems to meet latest legislation
- Cost down study for an American truck brand – application of Ricardo’s integrated cost reduction approach to deliver savings of more than $500/unit for a mature in-production medium-duty truck
- Quality recall for Asian Commercial vehicle manufacturer – Ricardo redesigned the client’s problem resolution process while managing its largest ever recall campaign
- Heavy equipment transporter for a US truck corporation – vehicle upgrade and homologation modifications for UK market
Hybrids & Electric Vehicles
- Large commercial vehicles hybridization concept study
- HyTrans, a UK government funded light commercial delivery micro-hybrid vehicle programme, resulting in the delivery of a robust, production-ready demonstrator vehicle with no loss of payload volume and fuel consumption savings of over 20% on a real-world delivery cycle derived from measured data
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- Hybrid bus optimization project for an Asian client, helping them achieve real world fuel economy improvement of circa 10% through simulation and analysis of the proposed system – recommendations included changes to battery technology and sizing, and cooling system optimization
- Hybrid architecture study for Asian client, looking to develop a family approach to multiple medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles for world markets – study considered legislative drivers and incentives, drive cycle variations and non-driveline related optimisations as well as the a number of different hybrid driveline concepts for each vehicle class
- Hybrid refuse truck study examining the business case, architecture definition using simulation to determine the best configuration for the customer duty cycle and application
Intelligent Transport Systems
- Research project developing driver assessment and coaching system (Footlite project)
- Sentience research programme using electronic horizon data to improve efficiency of vehicle systems
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- Co-Driver project collating off-vehicle hazard warning data and presenting to the driver
- FacITS project defining an ITS classification and analysis scheme to reduce vulnerabilities of ITS systems
- SARTRE European Framework 7 research programme investigating technology for the platooning of vehicles for improved fuel economy and safety
(read more)