Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil-exporting company, is teaming up with South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) to jointly research and develop advanced fuels for an "ultra lean-burn, spark-ignition engine" that aims to lower overall emissions in hybrid vehicles.
As part of the two-year partnership, Aramco, which has significant research and development and operational experience in fuel formulations, will use its in-house capabilities to design an optimal fuel formulation.
Hyundai Motor Group will provide an ultra-lean gasoline engine for use by the research team, Saudi Aramco said in a statement on Tuesday. The tests will be conducted by researchers in the Clean Combustion Research Centre at Kaust.
“As hybrid electrical vehicles are rolled out, the real challenge now lies in making strides with optimal fuels and exceptional combustion systems,” Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Aramco’s chief technology officer, said.
“The Aramco team provides fuel design and blending know-how to improve Hyundai Motor Group engine combustion performance and the outcome could lead to the application of synthetic e-fuels.”
The demand for hybrid vehicles, which are powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor, is expected to soar as the world focuses on cutting emissions to protect the environment. The hybrid vehicle market is expected to reach $1490.1 billion in 2027 from $324.92bn in 2021, according to Mordor Intelligence.
“BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and FCEVs (fuel electric vehicles) will be Hyundai Motor Group’s ultimate technologies to achieve carbon-neutral mobility, while eco-friendly advanced ICE technology that combines eco-friendly fuel and ultra-lean burn engine will be the key to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions during our transition to EVs,” Alain Raposo, executive vice president at Hyundai Motor Group, said.
Aramco is forging partnerships with top automakers globally to accelerate the development of transportation technologies that can reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
Last month, it signed an agreement with Formula One’s Aston Martin for the development of highly efficient internal combustion engines, sustainable fuels and advanced lubricants to lower emissions in racing cars.
Aramco also has research centres in Dhahran in Saudi Arabia, Paris, Detroit and Shanghai. The state-owned oil company aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in its operations by 2050.
Saudi Aramco's 2021 net profit more than doubled to $110bn, helped by the consolidation of Sabic's full-year results and stronger refining and chemicals margins, the company said earlier this month.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Leaderboard
15 under: Paul Casey (ENG)
-14: Robert MacIntyre (SCO)
-13 Brandon Stone (SA)
-10 Laurie Canter (ENG) , Sergio Garcia (ESP)
-9 Kalle Samooja (FIN)
-8 Thomas Detry (BEL), Justin Harding (SA), Justin Rose (ENG)
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
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The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona