System and method for employing gasoline compression ignition in a hybrid electric vehicle

A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

• a set of wheels;
• a mechanical transmission adapted to provide torque to the set of wheels;
• an electric motor coupled to and providing motive force to the mechanical transmission;
• battery storage coupled to and supplying electrical power to the electric motor;
• a gasoline compression ignition (GCI) engine coupled to at least one of the mechanical transmission and the electric motor to provide mechanical energy to the mechanical transmission and energy for operating the electric motor;
• a fuel supply coupling coupled to the GCI engine for providing octane gasoline fuel having an octane number of between 60 to 85;
• and
• an electric generator mechanically coupled to and powered by the GCI engine,
• a set of pistons each receiving fuel at injection event times and having a compression stroke and an air intake stroke, wherein the compression and intake strokes alternate and have respective cycles;
• and
• an electronic control unit coupled to and adapted to control operation of the GCI engine and the electric motor, the electronic control unit having instructions for operating the GCI engine, and being configured by the instructions to:
• set gasoline injection event times and quantities within a given compression stroke of one of the pistons so as to occur late in the compression stroke and to be at a fuel pressure of between 100 and 500 bar,
• wherein the injection times and quantities define distinct injection events and provide a stratified fuel/air charge in which a fuel/air mixture comprises local regions of higher and lower ratios of fuel to air, and
• wherein the injection event times and quantities are controlled over a range of speeds and loads to thereby optimize efficiency and emissions, and
• recirculate cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to dilute the stratified fuel/air charge, increase an ignition delay period and lower a combustion temperature,
• wherein the GCI engine and the electric motor are both coupled to both the mechanical transmission to provide motive power for the vehicle either simultaneously together or individually and the electronic control unit is adapted to control the GCI engine to provide motive power for the vehicle alone at medium load cruising and transitions from under 115 Newton-meters to over 125 Newton-meters of torque.