5 New Engine Design Companies
Table of contents
Retail investors seem to like the idea of a “new engine“. In a recent article, we highlighted the controversial Scuderi Group and their Scuderi engine that never seems to materialize into a commercially viable product. While the Scuderi Group is throwing off red flags left and right as an investment to be avoided, they still managed to raise $80 million from 400 investors (90 of which were unaccredited). This shows that people really want to believe that the technology to build a more efficient internal combustion engine exists and it’s only a matter of time before it is discovered and the 1.2 billion vehicles on our small planet will eventually be displaced by this new type of engine. Scuderi isn’t the only company pursuing a new and disruptive engine technology. Here are five more companies developing “new engines”.
LiquidPiston
Founded in 2003, Connecticut based LiquidPiston has taken in $21.5 million to develop advanced rotary engines based on the company’s patented thermodynamic cycle and engine architecture. Remember the old high-RPM RX-7 rotary engines that never really took off but were fun as hell to drive? LiquidPiston has managed to create a small profile rotary engine for use in lawnmowers, chainsaws, and weed whackers.
Gasoline engines are expected to be 30% smaller and lighter while diesel engines are expected to be 70% smaller and lighter. This comes with a 20% increase in fuel efficiency for gas and 50% for diesel. While the engine can be scaled from 1 to 1000 horsepower, LiquidPistons expects that we’ll first see their engines in products offered at Home Depot or Lowes in 2 years time. Last year they also signed a contract with DARPA to develop their engine technology for use in various military applications.
Grail Engine Technologies
Kansas-based Grail Engine Technologies has developed an engine which they say “has the potential to be the first two stroke engine that does not exhibit cross contamination of fuel and oil which results in lower emissions yet produces more power and torque using less fuel than larger engines“. Here is what that engine would look like:
Their website is chock full of technical documentation if you’re interested, but the question we always ask when we see these groundbreaking inventions is just how much progress have you made towards commercializing this technology? While the website talks about how they’ve been working with engineers at both Delphi and Honda, they haven’t provided an update since 2013. This recent article by EngineLabs implies that Grail isn’t doing much anymore to proactively move towards the commercialization of this technology. Given that both Honda and Delphi had a look and nothing came out of it, we’d have to conclude that this engine is going nowhere fast.
Achates Power
While Grail may be floundering, Achates Power seems to be making great progress towards commercializing their engine technology. Founded in 2004, this San Diego startup has taken in $65.6 million in funding to develop an internal combustion, opposed-piston engine that increases fuel efficiency by up to 50%, reduces emissions and does so at lower cost. They recently received a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy which they will use to work with Argonne National Laboratory and Delphi Automotive to build a 50 percent more efficient three-liter three-cylinder engine that will be suitable for passenger cars and trucks by 2018. Here’s a teaser:
The Company claims that their customers “comprise 40% of the global car and truck markets” and that “multiple major OEM customers have retained them to design engines for various applications and geographies“. Last year, Achates Power announced a $14 million military engine project through which they will work with Cummins to develop a single cylinder engine that will power next-generation tactical and combat vehicles.
Pinnacle Engines
Founded in 2007, this California based startup has taken in $13.5 million in funding to develop (you guessed it) an “ultra-efficient engine with up to 50% improvements in fuel economy without the typical cost penalty“. In 2011 they began developing a single cylinder opposed piston engine for scooters in conjunction with an Asian OEM partner which based on some of the hints they drop would seem to be of Indian origins. The scooter is expected to be 36% more efficient and should be released around the end of this year.
Given that they are already 4 years behind schedule for the release of this scooter engine, don’t hold your breath that they’ll have the car engine they expect to by 2019.
Ecomotors
Founded in 2008, Ecomotors has attracted $79.3 million in funding from high profile investors like Bill Gates and Khosla Ventures to develop their opposed-piston opposed-cylinder (OPOC) engines. The last bit of news out of EcoMotors was that their first and largest customer, Zhongding Power, had invested in the Company during a Series D funding round with an investment by Zhongding of more than $200 million. That money is said to be used to build a factory that can produce 100,000 engines like the one seen below:
When we first wrote about EcoMotors back in October 2014, they had expected to be selling their diesel powered engines by 2015 with an estimated annual production capacity of 100,000 to 150,000 after breaking ground on a $200 million plant that year in China that was expected to be in high volume production with the potential of generating $1 billion a year. So is that plant up and running and now they’re building another one or it didn’t work out and now we’re on try number 2? If you believe what Wikipedia says, they’ve run into delays and were expected to begin production around the middle of 2015. With their Series D funding round coming in towards the end of 2015, we can only assume they are producing away and that these engines will start appearing in Chinese vehicles.
Share
What you don’t nanalyze as usual is whether or not the engines actually work? Because a car company hasn’t bought it then its a failure. you guys don’t even write your own stuff. You copy. Scuderi is in the power generation business now. Your not even current. car companies are in house. They refuse outside help. your the guys who can’t be taken seriously. Are you still advertising stock trading companies inside the articals you put out? Motif…? Get real….
Hi Dan,
You are always welcome to comment and entitled to free speech but in the interest of maintaining meaningful discussions, please tone down your aggressive rhetoric and personal attacks. We have never deleted any of your comments but will do so if they are just personal attacks that add no value.
You boys can do what you want, but don’t accuse a person of personal attacks when its truth you can’t deal with. You advertise inside the stuff you put out and almost every person on this board has made it clear that you don’t do your own reporting, or research. Growup…
This article is recycling very outdated info. Scuderi engine has been transformed into power generation business and have secured sizable contracts with more growth on the horizon.
Don’t buy into this negativity and slander.
Retail investors seem to like the idea of a “new engine”? Seriously?
When were these companies founded? LiquidPiston 2003, Grail 2004…not exactly new.
Salvatore Scuderi is going to discuss the company’s compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology during the “Innovative Technologies in Dam and Hydropower Engineering” program on April 12 in Woburn.
Is it possible you guys could attend, perhaps have a conversation with Sal and write an article regarding what’s going on presently with Scuderi Clean Energy?
Hi gman,
New engine technology is just one of the many technologies discussed here on Nanalyze. In the vast majority of cases we never speak with company management as input for an article because they are not an objective source of information.
It is apparent nanalyze has a hidden agenda when it comes to reporting about the Scuderi Group. Was this article really about new engine technologies or was it a witch hunt or cheap shot taken at the Scuderi Group? Please do a little more research about the company before make such derogatory statements, as already mentioned by several investors Scuderi Group has taken the company in a new direction (power generation) and things look very promising.
DEFINE PROMISING, CALL 41 NORTH AND TAKE A BASIC ACCOUNTING COURSE 60 MILLION IN CONTRACT IF THAT IS TO BE BELIEVED RESULTS IN ABOUT 9 MIL IN PROFIT AND THE TAKE OUT OPERATING EXPENSE AND YOUR HAPPY ???
Hi vinny,
There’s no hidden agenda here at all. This article is about 5 new engine design companies as it states.
As for Scuderi, we do not like to see investors lose money and have warned against Scuderi based on the below document about litigation they were involved in with the SEC:
https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2013/33-9407.pdf
You can see our track record for calling out companies that lose investors money:
https://nanalyze.com/2015/07/how-to-lose-money-investing-in-stocks/
No idea what your trying to convey. Its one long sentence in caps. Have you called 41? did they give you that 60 million nunmber? Also where did you get the 9 million profit number? I’m only trying to understand this statement. It’s confusing?
Nanalyze-You just confirmed you do have a hidden agenda, investors have already put money into this company, by continuing to mention the company shortfalls how does that help the current investors? Maybe you should do a little more research and report more fairly what your findings are.
Forget it vinny. they just said tbey don’t talk to companies. They seem to think its a bad idea so they research other articals for the information that you see. This is all they do. Its a shame because a company like scuderi deserves a fair shake and they don’t get here.
Dear Nanalyze – Keep up the good work and hold firm on your justified viewpoints on Scuderi. There are dozens of groups made up of hundreds of Scuderi investors (victims) out there who completely understand why Nanalyze is justified in ignoring any further coverage of the Scuderi Engine or their false promises they continue to make on the company’s value add to the industry and its investors.
You are not overlooking one of the great innovation companies in the industry – but justly refusing to give another inch of publicity to this sinkhole called The Scuderi Group. In time, that company will be fully exposed as one of the biggest frauds out of New England.
Thank you for the comment. We always report the facts as we see them and it never ceases to amaze us how many companies dupe investors out of their money (mainly all OTC companies). Whether management is simply incompetent or purposely trying to swindle investors, it doesn’t matter. You’ll lose you money either way.
Two posts full of nonsense plain and simple. Thank you..
“We always report facts as we see them” What does that actually mean? I always thought a fact was a fact, if you report facts as you see them does that still mean they are a fact? I don’t think so.
Ignoring any further coverage? They haven’t done any so far. Go to woburn on 4-12. It’s open to everyone. Ask questions. Do some research and real reporting for once. It’s a simple task. Do your job….. Thank you….
Woburn MA.. 4-12…Scuderi presents energy storage concept…Thank You …..
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scuderi-clean-energys-chp-system-sized-more-for-power-than-heat-300248152.html
Type in… Prnewswire scuderi chp….some news..
Hey Danny Boy,
What about 4-12? Let’s hear what excuse you have now.
Excuse? You sound like the crybaby you’ve always been. I don’t answer for EBC, or Scuderi. Why don’t u tell us the reason for the cancellation wise guy? Better yet take the advise I gave you earlier. Beg for a refund a start that fan duel account. Then go play with your rattle. Grownups at work…
Marketing Coordinator for Environmental Business Council of New England said there were some last minute changes going on with the program and they decided that it would be better to try to reschedule.
The new date is not finalized yet, but they are looking at rescheduling for early June.
That is pure irony – Dan or Vinny telling someone else to grow up after their repeated infantile and mindless rants about how wrong the rest of the world is after 13 years of unfulfilled promises. Rattle,rattle,rattle.
Glad to hear your rattle getting a workout. Are you holding your breath yet begging for a refund? Ebc will reschedule and Scuderi will be there.. How’s that fan dual account skank… Grownups invest. Crybabies have temper tanturms….
question? is scuderi group producing power anywhere on this earth that they can verify to its investors.they say that they have 60 million in signed contracts, but yet have not told anyone where this is happening.
60 mil in signed contracts is in place. They now need 41 to secure funding to place their energy storage engines all over our earth. I think they will…. Thank You..
Hey Dan,
Great to see you’re still out here after being booted from every Scuderi forum ever organized. At least you’ve found a place for your psychosis to thrive. Good for you buddy.
Skank..! who’s posting 4 u? Crybabies can’t talk. Scuderi might give u that refund your begging for since all babies can do is crawl. fan duel and gerbers baby mush.. let mommy put on that bib.. Adults at work here.
Now there’s the old Dan we knew and loved. Psycho.
Scuderi wins…!
Like to see Scuderi put a press release out each week. It could go a long way to keep investors informed and help their own cause in the energy storage field in general. Attracting new idea’s from the public could have a positive effect instead of negative distrust. Thank You….
Scuderi completes another patent..
In terms of new engines, check out
1. General Fusion http://www.generalfusion.com/
2. First Light Fusion http://firstlightfusion.com/
3. Liquid Pendulum http://www.vortexengineer.com/liquid-pendulum-engine.html
Thank you for your comment Vortexengineer. We covered General Fusion in the below article on nuclear fusion companies:
https://nanalyze.com/2015/12/3-nuclear-fusion-energy-companies-for-investors-to-watch/
We haven’t heard of First Light Fusion but they should be covered in the above article as well. We will take a closer look at them. As for Liquid Pendulum, they are also a fusion company and we’ll take a closer look at them as well.
Thank you again for the additional information!
I like seeing other developments come along but they all sound as imaginary as the Scuderi engine has proven to be. At least we’re all wiser and more cautious now then we were pre-Scuderi.
First light fusion has been around for 5 years already. Thats a very long period of time witbout research being done by nanalyze. Not a good job, or no job done at all.
Nice try. Your bias is quite obvious.
Nanalyze has done a great job of informing people of companies to look for and, more importantly, to look OUT for but it’s nothing short of ridiculous to believe that they have a responsibility to inform us of every single company that has ever existed, especially before there is much to even talk about. They don’t work for you, “smart” guy.
Anyone interested look into Scuderi Clean Energy Storage. A great company with an even greater future.
marc says
FEBRUARY 16, 2016 AT 10:35 AM
Dan, show me something pal, i can’t see the forest from the trees!
Reply
Dan says
FEBRUARY 16, 2016 AT 6:13 PM
Not my job bud, your on your own like the rest of us..
Reply
call scuderi, ask for a conference call, speak to nick, sal and the rest, they will do that
Never a word from nanalyze about Scuderi being a clean energy tech company. Lazy, and a joke. Do your job….
Hi Dan! We just got your paycheck in the mail so now we’re ready to do our job. 😉 We’ve been busy writing 600 articles that aren’t about Scuderi. Anything notable we should know about Scuderi today that merits a follow up article?
As long as LiquidPiston manages to overcome the issues that have always plagued the Wankel engines, such as the high oil consumption and the damage known as “Devil’s nails” related to the apex seals, it might eventually have its chance to become successful and ultimately lead the conventional 2-stroke gassers out of the market. It could also venture into the aviation market, as it seems to get closer to the power-to-weight ratio of a turboprop than a conventional piston-engine could get.
I’m not sure about the Grail engine, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for it. The so-called “cross contamination” of fuel and oil doesn’t look so bad at all in the modern direct-injected 2-strokes such as the Evinrude E-TEC series, for example, and then the Grail engine might not be advantageous enough to justify an investment.
Achates Power seems to be the closest to success among those 5 companies, as it’s already partnering with Fairbanks-Morse that has a wide experience with opposed-piston Diesel engines, and even with Cummins that never released a 2-stroke on the market. It might eventually lead the good old Detroit Diesel 6V53 (still supported by MTU for military applications) to obsolescence…
Pinnacle Engines is also quite likely to become successful. Their sleeve-valve configuration, that ends up resembling the setup applied to the old Knight engines at some extent, is surprising at first but seems to match the needs of the general aviation segment. At least it’s not plagued by valve seat recession and also doesn’t require sodium cooling of the exhaust valve stems like the most commonly available airworthy piston engines.
Ecomotors could have already found its way into the truck and bus market, since it’s more receptive to engine outsourcing, but now Achates Power seems to have a better marketing approach. Eventually the Ecomotors design could finally find its way into other segments even more sensible to the weight, such as marine and aviation,
Thank you very much for some excellent commentary Daniel.
We have always thought that it is highly unlikely that the entire engine market can be displaced by a “new engine” but it could happen.
I have a new invention which makes cars,trains,ships anything fly.No more roads etc required.
LSD?