Flex fuel modules and injectors are designed to resist corrosion caused by alcohol-based alternative fuels.
Release date: November 4, 2008
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Delphi is launching new flex-fuel compatible components for the aftermarket, providing reliable parts that are designed to withstand the wear caused by alternative fuels. The announcement was made today at a press conference held at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas.
“In today’s aftermarket, alternative fuels such as E85, are becoming increasingly prevalent, making it necessary for shops to be prepared to handle flex fuel vehicle repairs and maintenance. Aftermarket parts that are not made with ethanol-compatible materials will have failure problems,” said Dave Barbeau, vice president, independent aftermarket, Delphi Product & Service Solutions. “Delphi has been working with alternative fuels for nearly a century, and has the knowledge, resources and experience to equip vehicles in the aftermarket with durable components for use with alternative fuels.”
Delphi’s flex fuel modules are designed to resist highly-corrosive ethanol fuels, and are specifically designed to allow for increased flow capacity for ethanol fuels – which is critical because ethanol contains 30 percent less energy than gasoline – while still able to maintain low idle-speed fuel flow. Delphi’s fuel modules feature Delphi-engineered material upgrades in metals, polymers and plastics that help ensure durability and lasting performance in harsher alcohol fuel blends such as E85, which is an alcohol-based fuel comprised of 85 percent ethyl-alcohol and 15 percent gasoline. Delphi flex fuel modules include coverage for late model applications for GM, Ford and Chrysler.
All of Delphi’s Multec® 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 fuel injectors are E85 compatible. Similar to Delphi’s corrosion-resistant flex fuel modules, Delphi’s flex fuel injectors feature unique O-ring materials that are engineered to withstand the corrosive properties of ethanol-based fuels. To protect sensitive surfaces on the injector, Delphi offers a special coating that provides superior resistance to ethanol corrosion when compared to uncoated injectors. Delphi’s fuel injectors have a large linear flow range designed to handle the increased fueling requirements of a flex fuel system. Delphi’s E85-compatible injectors can be found on 21.5 million U.S. vehicles.
Additionally, Delphi’s planar oxygen sensors are validated for lifetime operation with all fuel types and additives, including lifetime operation with E85 and E100. Built with a patented protective sensor coating, Delphi’s oxygen sensors lead the industry in contamination resistance to silicone, phosphorous and other fuel/oil additives. With coverage for late model applications for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen, Delphi’s planar sensors can help provide flexibility for a range of flex-fuel vehicles.
Alternative fuels often have many benefits, including reducing dependency on foreign oil and reducing CO2 emissions by 40 to 45 percent, and reducing total greenhouse gas emission by 20 to 30 percent. Despite those benefits, alternative fuels can also present significant engineering challenges because the fuels have higher oxygen content, electrical conductivity and readily absorb moisture, making them incredibly corrosive to vehicle parts and causing them to accelerate the wear of materials and decrease performance.
Delphi components can help provide a seamless transition from a standard gasoline blend to an ethanol blend. Delphi is a leader in analyzing fuels from all regions of the world and designing reliable components that are compatible with corrosive fuels. For years, Delphi has incorporated premium materials into their fuel system designs and validated that the pumps can withstand alternative fuels found anywhere in the world. As alternative fuels continue to gain popularity, Delphi continues to provide compatible components with Delphi quality.
Visit Delphi Product & Service Solutions at AAPEX in booth #4900 for more information and demos of Delphi’s service and training products and more.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release as well as other statements made by Delphi may contain forward-looking statements that reflect, when made, the Company's current views with respect to current events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the Company's operations and business environment which may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results, express or implied, by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue," the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the ability of the Company to operate pursuant to the terms of the debtor-in-possession financing facility and its advance agreement with GM, to obtain an extension of term or other amendments as necessary to maintain access to such facility and advance agreement; the Company's ability to obtain Court approval with respect to motions in the chapter 11 cases prosecuted by it from time to time; the ability of the Company to achieve all of the conditions to the effectiveness of those portions of the Amended and Restated Global Settlement Agreement and Amended and Restated Master Restructuring Agreement with General Motors which are contingent on Delphi's emergence from chapter 11; the ability of the Company to obtain court approval to modify its amended plan of reorganization which was confirmed by the Court on January 25, 2008 as set forth in its filing on October 3, 2008 and to confirm such modified plan or any subsequent modifications to the confirmed plan or any other subsequently confirmed plan of reorganization and to consummate such plan; risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining Court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period for the Company to propose and confirm one or more plans of reorganization, for the appointment of a chapter 11 trustee or to convert the cases to chapter 7 cases; the ability of the Company to obtain and maintain normal terms with vendors and service providers; the Company's ability to maintain contracts that are critical to its operations; the potential adverse impact of the chapter 11 cases on the Company's liquidity or results of operations; the ability of the Company to fund and execute its business plan as described in the proposed modifications to its plan of reorganization as filed with the court and to do so in a timely manner; the ability of the Company to attract, motivate and/or retain key executives and associates; the ability of the Company to avoid or continue to operate during a strike, or partial work stoppage or slow down by any of its unionized employees or those of its principal customers and the ability of the Company to attract and retain customers. Additional factors that could affect future results are identified in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the SEC, including the risk factors in Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors, contained therein, and the Company's quarterly periodic reports for the subsequent periods, including the risk factors in Part II. Item 1A. Risk Factors, contained therein, filed with the SEC. Delphi disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and/or otherwise. Similarly, these and other factors, including the terms of any reorganization plan ultimately confirmed, can affect the value of the Company's various prepetition liabilities, common stock and/or other equity securities.