In May, BorgWarner announced that it had begun production of its electronically controlled Visctronic fan drives at its new plant in Itatiba City, Brazil. 

According to Daniel Paterra, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Thermal Systems, the Itatiba City plant "allows us to produce advanced technologies for our customers locally, and our new engineering center expands BorgWarner’s network of technical centers, enhancing our local testing and validation capabilities.”

Rising exhaust gas recirculation rates and higher specific engine outputs are accelerating demand for more effective and efficient airflow solutions. Commercial vehicles, in particular, demand maximum cooling performance even at low driving speeds.

Already proven in Europe, North America, and Asia, BorgWarner’s Visctronic fan drives use specially calibrated software to communicate with the engine’s electronic control unit, constantly responding directly to the engine’s cooling needs.

By disengaging and rotating at minimum speed when no air cooling is needed, the technology reduces power consumption. When the engine requires more cooling, the fan drive automatically re-engages to provide efficient air cooling at precisely the right time. In this way, Visctronic fan drives deliver improved fuel economy and lower emissions as well as low noise, vibration, and harshness for increased driving comfort.