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Exhausting Possibilities A novel herringbone design of exhaust catalyst could be the 'Eureka' moment for emissions reductions, says ACAT Global's CEO Joseph W Moch. Ian Adcock tries to unravel the story behind it A right royal performance An interior influenced by the Jubilee celebrations? James Brewer finds out more Virtually, the real deal OEMs want faster time to market, reduced development costs and ever more sophisticated testing. Ian Adcock reports

Harley-Davidson's e-bike shocker (video) Is the motorcycle market ready for a Harley-Davidson EV? Project LiveWire was designed to provide answers, said Chief Engineer Jeff Richlen. Airbus has its eye on the future of cleaner flight CleanSky 2 targets are to increase aircraft fuel efficiency enough to reduce CO2 emissions by 20-30% and reduce aircraft NOx and noise emissions by 20-30% compared to newly designed aircraft entering into service in 2014-or essentially halve 2005 CO2 emissions levels by 2050. Soul EV extends the range frontier (video) Specially formulated NCM battery cells are key in giving the vehicle class-leading EV range while enabling engineers to fit a high-energy-density battery pack underfloor with little sacrifice of passenger cabin space.

Into the DEAP The Distributed Electrical Aerospace Propulsion project looks toward a future optimized integrated propulsion system that will allow cleaner, quieter, and more efficient performance incorporated into a radically innovative airframe that will feature enclosed electrically powered fans.

A new Formula for racing The new Formula E series' electric racecars are intended to pioneer new technology for broader use in production, encouraging fans to think differently about the technologies they use. Production of satellite with first all-electric propulsion system advances Electric propulsion has been limited so far to small movements of the satellites once it is in its geostationary orbit. The Boeing 702SP innovation is its use of electric propulsion to raise the satellite from its launch-vehicle drop-off point to geostationary orbit. Using CAE to assess whining noise of electric powertrains To develop an electric powertrain with a minimum noise level and minimized whining it is necessary to have accurate CAE simulation and precise criteria to assess whining noise.

The buzz about electric aircraft Emissions limits force the aviation industry to study hybrid and battery-electric propulsion systems. Car-to-X marks the secure beamforming spot Intelligent networking of cars and infrastructure promises a future of enhanced active safety and traffic efficiency, though as an open and decentralized system, car-to-X is exposed to various attacks against security and driver's privacy. Talking big A look at factors that should be considered by OEMs when implementing a telematics solution in the heavy-duty on- and off-highway mobile equipment markets.

Lithium-ion refinement Even as high-profile fires create concern, battery and car makers accelerate their move toward lithium-ion technology with advances in cost, performance, and safety. NASA's quest for maximum efficiency As part of its hybrid body wing aircraft with turboelectric distributed propulsion system, NASA has proposed to use a superconducting and cryogenic electrical system to connect the electrical output of the generators to the motors.

Demon alcohol? The impact of Ethanol fuels on regulated tailpipe emissions is studied and assessed by two Chrysler researchers in a 2012 SAE technical paper.

Alternative fuels heat up This is a rich time for combustion researchers. The need for better fuel efficiency and improved emissions has never been greater. New software model to help engine makers meet diesel soot standards Simulation enables engineers to predict particulate formation early in the design process.

Rotary SI/CI combustion engines: A thing of the future? The internal combustion engine enjoys widespread use as an inexpensive and reliable power conversion system. While piston engines date back 150 years, various alternative engine architectures and cycles have been considered. Aftertreatment comes with challenging diagnosis Diagnosing engine and aftertreatment systems is forcing design teams to look at new ways to diagnose problems over long vehicle lifetimes. Taking on NVH reduction techniques A look at the enhanced durability benefits obtained by changing the polymer composition, manufacturing methods, and design optimization of a powertrain mount for an off-highway vehicle.

All about the engine The University of Wisconsin-Madison team increases engine displacement and implements exhaust gas recirculation to maintain winning ways in SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge. Fluid mechanics of diesel injection studied at Penn State Special photography method helps student researchers get a better look at spray patterns. Under new management A senior-heavy squad from Minnesota State University, Mankato, takes a different approach to team dynamics and jumps 34 spots to 17th overall at the 2016 Formula SAE Michigan competition.

Have diesel will race (and learn) Mazda's factory SkyActiv diesel race program switched to the Prototype class in 2014, teaching the SpeedSource team valuable engineering lessons for 2015. Starting and developing an engineering career: barriers and opportunities Very strong role models who have a marked enthusiasm for their subject are needed at every point along an employee's education and work career. The knock on gasoline engines Two major strategies to increase the efficiency of SI engines are to raise the compression ratio and to downsize the engine using a turbocharger, but both have issues with knock. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan Automotive Laboratory tackle the problem. Minecraft: getting kids into coding Stephen Foster, CEO and Co-founder of THOUGHTSTEM, has a new outlook on STEM education and the utilities that can be used to get kids involved in software coding.

The future for electric and hybrid vehicles in India Technical and political challenges alike have held back the electric and hybrid market, but there are signs of hope. Flex-fuel snowmobile challenge results in improved efficiency and lower emissions Noise and exhaust emissions of recreational snowmobiles have come under increased scrutiny by the U.S. federal government. Students from Kettering University take on the design challenges of meeting or exceeding such regulations. Actuator dynamics in a dual clutch transmission The emergence of tougher environmental and fuel efficient legislations have triggered exploration and advance toward new and better vehicle transmission technologies.

Stanford goes solar down under Team takes sixth place in Bridgestone World Solar Challenge to cap a rigorous two-year design and development program. Taking the lead Being in charge of an SAE Student Chapter entails everything from organizing meetings to issuing 'nastygrams.' A winning video from a winning Collegiate Design Series team The defending champion of the Formula SAE Michigan competition, Oregon State University, has found another way to win. SAE U.K. Section co-hosts lecture series 'starring' NASA engineer/expert Dr. Ravi Margasahayam of NASA is the engineer responsible for ensuring payload safety for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

Taking on the Valeo Innovation Challenge Two Canadian teams-the University of Ottawa and the University of Waterloo-finished in the top 3 among about 1,000 other universities from around the world in this challenge devoted to spurring innovative ideas for transportation. Colorado State University designs fuel-cell plug-in hybrid system Competing in the EcoCAR2 competition using a Chevrolet Malibu, the Colorado State team designed a system that features a 15-kW polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system, an 18.9-kW•h/177-kW lithium-ion battery, and a 145-kW motor. Cal State Fullerton combines art and engineering Team's submission on its Formula SAE car won first place in the second annual Generation Auto video contest organized in part by SAE International. Collaborative research project leads to potentially swarming VTOL UAVs The AVIGLE VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) unmanned aerial vehicle was developed via collaboration by a variety of entities for a variety of applications.

Evaluation of heavy-vehicle aerodynamic drag In an attempt to achieve a balance between Reynolds number, model scale, and tunnel blockage issues, a 1:3 scale heavy-vehicle testing program has been initiated at the Monash University 1.4-MW wind tunnel. Validating performance suspension parts advances A forum at the 2013 SEMA Show discussed three approaches to ensure performance parts compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 126. Panelists also explained how simulation data, and kinematics and compliance measurements, can improve performance parts design. Active safety starts in the pilot's seat Dassault Aviation's next-generation integrated digital avionics systems contribute to enhanced air safety in civil applications. Chevrolet ups the performance ante with MY2015 Corvette Z06 Stiffer-bodied sports car gains wind-aided performance with supercharging and downforce for faster lap times.

Methodology developed for safer hood design The methodology enables material selection and design optimization of energy absorbers for pedestrian protection based on a simple laboratory test and FE model, eliminating the need for extensive vehicle testing. Developing a winning formula It's been 20 years since the University of Michigan won a Formula SAE championship. Sick of getting smoked in recent years by top teams from Germany and the U.S., MRacing is going "big aero" for a better crack at the 2014 crown.

A beast of its own kind The University of Michigan Solar Car Team falls a bit short in 2015 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, but distinguishes itself nonetheless. Finding career inspiration via algorithm Participation in collegiate engineering competitions can reveal untapped talents and interests. Just ask Ohio State student Katherine Bovee. SAE 2016 World Congress preview Powering Possibilities is Toyota's goal at SAE 2016 World Congress.

New contender for the World Solar Challenge Splitting the solar power supply from the aerodynamics was the innovative approach taken by the U.K.-based Cambridge University Eco Racing Team. Mobility in the 21st Century for India: planning and creating multimodal transportation systems India's rapidly growing population has made transportation systems unable to effectively keep up with demand, losing the country untold man-hours and wasting money. 2014 Corvette: 460 hp, 30 mpg, 1 g, $52,000 No other sports car can match the C7's combination of performance, value, and overall efficiency. Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter provides insight on executing a masterpiece.

When real life and FEA meet Model validation becomes the focus for building the chassis of a BAJA SAE vehicle. One student offers his advice for making smart choices while using FEA. Wait...where is Manitoba? Andrew Smith, Executive Vice Chair for the University of Manitoba's SAE International Chapter faces limited resources and the growth of what was once a small team. High hopes or just dreaming? A look at how Asia's aircraft manufacturers are trying to break into new markets to challenge the status quo. Operators see bright screens in their future HMIs borrow from tablets, phones to help operators perform a broad range of tasks.

Originality revs up Formula SAE Michigan teams More than 100 Formula SAE teams vied for top honors at the annual Michigan competition that spotlights one-of-a-kind open-wheel racecars designed and built by student engineers. American manufacturing in the hands of UNF students University of North Florida students design and build Formula vehicles for nationwide competition focused on challenging the minds of future engineers. Solar EV thunder down under Michigan is aiming for its first victory in next month's 2013 World Solar Challenge with a new asymmetrical racecar that is ready for 1860 mi (2990 km) in the Australian sun. Solar Impulse Team's next challenge: to circle the globe The next world-girdling version of the fuel-less flier will rely on featherweight polymers and composites.