Lotus will investigate the properties of alcohol and gasoline, with the test tube a motor and a cylinder direct injection.
Lotus, coupled with mechanical and aerospace engineering school in Belfast and in partnership with Jaguar will develop an engine with a cylinder only. The propellant, as dubbed Omnivore will direct injection and may be powered gasoline or alcohol.
With a construction and proper design, will be the "test tube" to study the degree of thermal efficiency with both fuels. Mike Kimberley, CEO of Lotus says that "alcohol has combustion characteristics that enable further optimization compared to gasoline."
The head of Lotus Engineering engine department, Geraint Castleton-White, says that "the requirements to work with the current gasoline flex-fuel engines limits their thermal efficiency when operating with alcohol. However, alcohol properties, compared with gasoline, have great potential to achieve a better thermal efficiency '.