GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTER MARKET

INTRODUCTION

Gasoline Particulate Filter or GPF is a filtration device that is used to control the emission levels of particulate matter for directly injected gasoline cars. It is often fitted in the exhaust system of the vehicle.

The other key benefit of installation of GPF is the reduced noise from the exhaust of the vehicles.

However, as the vehicle gets older the fuel burnt during the combustion is formulated by higher levels of Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur (SAPS) generating stronger ash deposits. These deposits cannot be burnt by the GPF and thus clogs the filter leading to replacement. 

GPF is predominantly being used for its advantage of having cleaner emissions and thereby abiding by the international forums which enforce strict emission regulations for auto manufacturers to maintain.

GPF MARKET DYNAMICS

There was a change in the particulate filter emission standards in Euro 6 stage, where the GDI vehicles’ particulate emission levels were reduced to 0.0045 g/km. This propelled the adoption of GPF in the Gasoline driven vehicles.

China 6 regulations also include a WLTC PN emission standard of 6.0×1011 km-1, which was introduced in July 2020, as well as RDE PN requirements from July 2023. The Chinese PN standards are not limited to GDI, but apply to all gasoline vehicles.

In 2020, with the Bharat Stage-VI norms, India too brought the regulations on particulate matter emissions in the Gasoline Direct Injection engines. The standard matched the Euro-6d regulations of 0.0045 g/km.   

Gasoline particulate filters are not expected to be widely adopted in North America, where particle emissions are regulated through mass-based PM limits only. GPFs may be also adopted for some port fuel injected (PFI) engines, even though PFI vehicles are not subject to European PN/PM emission standards. 

The US Tier 3 PM limit of 3 mg/mi, as well as the 2025 California LEV III limit of 1 mg/mi will most probably be met with the subtle changes in the cylinder of the engine and not by adoption of GPF.

GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTERMARKET SEGMENTATION

GPF Market By Geography

• Europe
• China
• US
• Japan
• India
• ROW

GPF Market By Engine Size

• Compact size – below 1499cc
• Mid-size – 1500 to 2499cc
• Full size – above 2500cc

GPF Market By Application

• Passenger cars
• Commercial vehicles
• Off-road vehicles
• LCV

GPF Market By Type

• Uncoated GPF
• Coated GPF

GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTERMARKET BY GEOGRAPHY

The percentage of GDI engines were higher in the US and Europe. Almost every gasoline driven car in these regions were of Direct Injection type.

In 2016, it was estimated that about 2/3rd of the vehicles in Europe were equipped with a GDI and this will only see an increase in the future due to the need for increasing adoption of gasoline direct injection.

In China, 5 out of top 10 sellers were fitted with the GDI engines, whereas the rest of them were MPFI.

LATEST TRENDS IN GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTER MARKET

• Corning has agreed to invest in the expansion of its production facility in Anhui Province, China. The new facility will develop heavy-duty substrates and particulate filters for the local manufacturers who will be launching the vehicles in China and India.

• University of Bath, England and SAIC Motors are trying to improve the performance of Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPFs).
  • The team has developed a system where it is capable of varying the temperature and composition of exhaust gasses entering GPFs, in order to identify the optimum conditions for the soot burn rate of GPFs

• In October 2018, Corning Incorporated announced the partnership with Changan Automobile, to integrate its gasoline particulate filters (GPF) such as Corning DuraTrap GC gasoline particulate filters into the emissions control systems of Changan’s next generation of vehicles to reduce fine particulate emissions.

• In June 2018, Corning reached the milestone of producing 1 millionth Gasoline Particulate Filter at its Kaiserslautern facility in Germany. The plant was established in 2016.

ADVANTAGES OF GPF

• The Gasoline Particulate Filter is an efficient and durable technology to control ultrafine particle emissions from Gasoline Direct Injection engines without negative impact on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

• The filtration efficiency of the GPF varies depending on the drive cycle. Lower filtration efficiency can be encountered on the NEDC due to low engine-out PN but also on the very dynamic RTS-95 cycle when it is most likely due to the absence of a soot cake.

• Although GDI engines produce higher masses of soot and particulate matter compared to Port Injection Engines, the soot collected is much lesser compared to a diesel engine. Thus, the GPF walls will be much lighter than that of DPF.

GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTER ADOPTION METHODS

Gasoline particulate filters were first launched in a mass production application by Daimler, who introduced a GPF on their Mercedes-Benz S500 sedan in early 2014.

One of the early applications of a coated GPF was the 1.0 TSI engine used in the 2018 VW up! GTI city car.

There are a number of possible ways of adopting the GPF based on its position and the type used:

The coating also contributes to increase filtration efficiency 

Coating the GPF with the three-way catalyst (TWC) allows some substitution of the TWC volume. It reduces packaging space and cost.

GASOLINE PARTICULATE FILTERMARKET SIZE AND FORECAST

The GPF market in 2020 was estimated to be a $ XXB market. In 2026, the market is estimated to reach $XX B and the CAGR for the period 2021-2026 is estimated to be XX%.

8 of the largest car manufacturers installed GDI in more than 75% of the vehicles they produced, with several near the 100% mark. These numbers will only propel the gasoline particulate filter market.

In 2020, about 60% of the passenger cars sold globally are equipped with GDI engines.

Currently, almost every gasoline powered car from Mercedes is fitted with the GDI engines. Apart from Mercedes, VW, BMW and Mazda are the other 3 OEMs who have adopted the GDI engines in most of their models.

Toyota and FCA vehicles had one of the lowest penetrations of GDI models with less than 10% across the world.

PSA vehicles have incorporated GPF in all its gasoline direct injection engine models from December 2017.

Although GPFs provide 90% filtration efficiency the main drawback being its increased exhaust back pressure affects fuel economy. Improvement in material selection and design will be crucial to decrease exhaust back pressure as well as costs.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

In 2015, Tenneco developed the Gasoline Particulate Filter for Light Vehicles in Europe to comply with the Euro-6c emission standards.

• This GPF will be included in the exhaust system in addition to the series three-way catalyst, or the catalyst coating can be directly applied to the filter substrate to form a four-way catalyst.

Faurecia was the first supplier to develop the gasoline particulate filter in the world and it was used for passenger cars in Europe.

Belgium based Bekaert develops Bekipor metal fiber media usually used in GPF development.

Umicore has developed the Catalyzed Gasoline Particulate Filter (cGPF) and has been looking to obtain the balance of filtration efficiency and chemical reactivity. Umicore has a strong presence in the Chinese Light Duty Gasoline Vehicle Market and thus with the spike in sales of these vehicles, Umicore suffered less in terms of revenue in 2020.

NGK Insulators mostly develop GPFs in Poland and China production facilities. Recently, due to an increase in demand for GPFs from Europe & China, the company has decided to set-up a 2^nd plant in China for GPF production.       

Some other players in the market are:

• Corning
• Johnson Matthey Plc
• Alantum Corporation

COMPANIES PROFILED

• Tenneco
• Faurecia
• Bekaert
• Katcon
• Corning
• Johnson Matthey Plc
• Umicore
• NGK Insulators
• Alantum Corporation
• CDTi Advanced Material Inc