The turbocharger has emerged as a key component in automakers' quest to boost fuel economy. But don't count out the supercharger, says Joao Faria, 44, president of Eaton Corp.'s Powertrain and Specialty Controls division. Today's turbochargers are more compact and efficient than most superchargers. But Eaton is spending heavily to improve the supercharger, which also can enable small engines to deliver big performance. The Brazil-born Faria spoke with Staff Reporter Richard Truett.

Can the supercharger play a role in shrinking engines and improving fuel economy, or is it best used on high-performance vehicles?

We have recently launched a new supercharger called TVS (Twin Vortice Series). It is a four-lobe design. It will be used on the Cadillac CTS-V and Corvette ZR-1. It's the sixth generation. It has higher thermal efficiency — 75 percent versus 62 percent — than previous superchargers. And it develops more pressure — about 20 pounds per square inch. What that means is we can use a smaller supercharger, and we can improve the output of the engine at different speeds.

Does the supercharger have to run all the time?

Yes. But we have some developments under way for variable-speed superchargers that can generate greater performance depending on the speed of the engine. We are very close to having this ready for the market.

Can a supercharger work with a gasoline-electric or diesel-electric powertrain?

It is very applicable because it allows a very-small-displacement engine. The only way to boost the low-end performance is with a supercharger.

Do you envision electrically driven superchargers?

We are not working on that for internal combustion engines. Some companies are developing electrically driven superchargers, but we aren't. We have done some work on electrically driven superchargers for fuel cell vehicles.

Why are turbochargers gaining so much market share?

Turbo growth in the market is linked to the diesel engine in Europe. For automakers to downsize the engine, it needs to be boosted.

Do you expect the market for superchargers to grow?

We are expecting to get about 80 percent growth in the next five years. About 70 percent of our new applications will be on downsized engines.

Where will the growth come?

Different places. We will see growth in Europe, America and Asia, including China.

Since turbochargers are experiencing fast growth, will Eaton move into that market?

We have no strategy and no intention to enter the turbo market. We have a great position with superchargers.

What is the market demand for superchargers? Are automakers coming to you, or do you have to persuade them to take another look?

It's a little bit of both. Lots of customers come to us because they are looking to downsize engines and deliver the same output when they go from, say, a V-6 to an inline four. It's not exciting to drive a car if you don't have power in the low end.