Marelli Wins 2021 Automotive News PACE Award

The company took home a PACE award for its very high-pressure fuel system that boosts efficiency of internal combustion engines

October 1, 2021

Automotive News named Marelli a 2021 PACE Award winner at a virtual ceremony held on September 30. Marelli was one of 14 companies to win the prestigious PACE award, which honors suppliers for superior innovation and technological advancement. The company’s powertrain division took home the prize for its very high-pressure fuel system that boosts the efficiency of internal combustion engines. This is the second straight year Marelli has won a PACE award; the company won in 2020 for its ultra-high-resolution lighting module.

Marelli is the first supplier to develop and commercialize a fuel injector capable of reaching a 1,000-bar pressure level. Very high-pressure gasoline direct injection (GDI) can enable high efficiency and clean combustion while overcoming standard GDI drawbacks such as knocking and soot. Marelli created a complete system around the injector, to include a pump, fuel rail and an electronic control unit (ECU) with software.

As the path toward Euro 7 and equivalent worldwide pollutant legislations create stricter CO2 norms, automotive manufacturers are focused on finding new solutions to achieve higher efficiencies and lower emissions from the internal combustion engine. A high compression ratio and unconventional combustion systems are key focus areas. Marelli’s innovative GDI system has made the creation of a spark plug-controlled compression ignition engine possible, a revolutionary concept that the vehicle industry has been trying to master for more than two decades.

“We are honored to be named a 2021 PACE award winner for our very high-pressure GDI fuel system,” said Martin Moissl, Executive Vice President and CEO Powertrain at Marelli. “With this technology, we are upholding our mission to transform the future of mobility to create a safer, greener and better-connected world.”

The 27th annual PACE Awards were presented by Automotive News and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA). The competition was open to suppliers that contribute products, processes, materials, or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks. The Automotive News PACE Award is accepted around the world as the industry benchmark for innovation.

For complete details of the Automotive News PACE Award, visit www.autonews.com/pace

Discover more about the 1,000-bar - Very high-pressure GDI fuel system: https://youtu.be/R1UEW1BYJ4Y