Road transport is considered to be one of the major causes of global warming due to CO₂ emissions. It is estimated that today more than 12% of the annual CO₂ production is due to the circulating vehicles, estimated to be 820 million tonnes and, if present trends continue, this is set to increase over the coming years.

Therefore, the future road transport challenge can be only addressed by adopting a systematic integrated approach in which new alternative fuels, power-train technologies and, above all, the electrification of the power-train play a fundamental role in order to achieve a significant technology jump.  

Advanced internal combustion engines, taking up various hybrid configurations and running on clean fuels will continue to provide the ‘backbone' propulsion system for passenger cars, light commercial and heavy duty vehicles, well beyond 2020.

The major driving force for future research and development strategies will be the progressive reduction of CO₂ emissions within stringent pollutant limitations.

In this scenario, the short-to-medium term priority for OEMs is the development of clean and highly efficient power-trains, characterized by advanced combustion concepts and hybrid-electric technologies, and the exploitation of the potential for using clean fuels, e.g. bio-fuels and natural gas.

Nevertheless, the basic technologies for pure electric vehicles are undergoing rapid evolution for potential application to vehicles for both individual and collective urban transport over the coming years.

The ATA 2010 Power-train Technologies Conference aim is to provide a forum, where participants can update and discuss this evolving scenario with respect to alternative solutions and technologies for fuels and power-trains.