Volkswagon XL1 Prototype. Click image for the largest view.

Hybrid trucks are already in commercial production with the industry set for considerable growth. Although the U.S. lags behind Europe in terms of favoring light-duty diesel applications, interest may soon grow as the European market takes off.

Volvo's Diesel Hybrid Bus. Click image for more info.

The efficiency benefits of diesel hybrid technologies are impressive, providing an average fuel consumption saving of 20 to 35 percent. When biodiesel is added to the fuel mix, the environmental benefits are added too, especially when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions.

Hybrid buses, highly like medium duty trucks are coming on strongly as well.  Volvo Bus Corp. also has several different hybrid technologies in production today, including those designed for both the European and North American markets. The company has been working at developing its diesel hybrid technology since 2002 and began vehicle production in 2006. “We started the industrial-scale production in May 2010,” says Edward Jobson, Volvo Bus environmental director, noting that before reaching industrial production, his company did on-demand building.

Diesel hybrid technology has been commercially available in heavy-duty trucks for several years. In the U.S. Eaton Vehicle Group has been working to develop electric hybrid systems for two decades and has been producing them commercially since 2007. The company also began offering a hydraulic hybrid system in 2010.

Eaton Hybrid Drive with Labels. Click image for label info.

Eaton provides its technology to major truck and bus manufacturers around the world. The company offers several hybrid technologies, all of which are fuel neutral and can be added to diesel powertrains, says James Parks, Eaton’s manager of global communications-hybrid. Eaton’s hybrid electric technology maintains the conventional drivetrain architecture and is designed to recover power typically lost during braking, and stores it in batteries. The company also offers two hybrid hydraulic systems: one that offers regeneration and launch assist, and another that completely replaces the conventional drivetrain.

Volvo’s diesel hybrid buses are able to achieve a 30 to 35 percent reduction in fuel consumption in city driving use, and a 20 to 30 percent reduction when highway driving. The Volvo 7700 Hybrid model uses parallel hybrid technology. That means that the diesel engine and electric motor can work either independently or in unison to power the bus. The electric motor is used to start the vehicle moving and can power acceleration up to approximately 20 kilometers per hour (12.5 mph). As the speed increases the diesel engine takes over, supplying the power. Batteries are used to power the electric engine are recharged by both the brakes and the diesel engine.

Volvo also supplies gas-powered buses to the market. But since the May 2010 launch of its 7700 Hybrid diesel model, Volvo’s Jobson notes that his company has sold more hybrid diesel buses than gas buses. In fact, Volvo has received orders for nearly 200 hybrid buses in its first six months of production. In mid-December, the company secured its largest single order to date when bus operator Arriva ordered 27 Volvo 7700 Hybrid buses, which will be used in Dordrecht, Netherlands.

The European market is proportionally much more diesel over gas engines – at least half of the passenger cars on European roads are equipped with diesel engines. It’s becoming clear that diesel hybrids are also significantly more efficient and less expensive than their gas-electric hybrid counterparts.

Volvo’s truck experience illuminates the car market potential for Europe.  Volvo’s Jobson said, “Customers are very happy with the hybrid, with the performance, the reliability and the fuel consumption, of course.  Also dare I say – the pricing.”  Jobson says that most customers understand that they can save money over the lifetime of the vehicle. Many also see it as a sort of insurance to protect them from rising oil prices. Strong demand also means that Volvo will be offering more hybrid options to its customers in the future.

Peugeot's 3008-Hybrid4. Click image for the largest view.

In contrast to America and as a dig to VW, Peugeot will launch at mid 2011 the world’s first production-scale diesel-electric hybrid passenger car. The 3008 HYbrid4 features an average fuel consumption savings of 35 percent. A traditional two-liter, 163-horsepower diesel engine mounted in the front of the vehicle, and a 37-horsepower electric engine mounted in the rear, provides the car with a maximum power output of 200 horsepower.

Eaton’s hybrid systems are all designed to be fuel-neutral, and are compatible with biodiesel. “It really doesn’t matter what fuel runs through the truck with our system,” Eaton’s Parks says. “We really don’t touch the fuel.”

Volvo’s activities with biofuel are particularly noteworthy. The company is currently field-testing its hybrid buses with full B100, 100% biodiesel. “The evaluation is not finished yet, but the expectation is that we will find that B100 is okay from a technical standpoint, but that you will need to take some service measures,” Jobson says. When it comes to biodiesel, Volvo is only testing B100 in its diesel hybrid bus systems, no blends included. “Either you have it or you don’t,” Jobson says. “If you allow biodiesel, you should be able to run them on up to 100 percent.”  That research should include any extreme biodiesel production types such as algae.

The Volvo research isn’t complete, and is due to finish this year. Jobson says some of the anticipated service measures that are expected to be required for biodiesel use include increased intervals for oil and fuel filter changes. “You will also have to change – before you start with the B100, some seals and the fuel lines.” Specifically, fuel lines made of an alloy that contains copper must be replaced with stainless steel.

For Europe where fuel taxes make up a huge share of the price and increase the price dramatically fuel efficiency demand is more pronounced.  Yet that 30% mileage gain, with the already 15+ percent of diesel’s better density, gat in city use cover nearly or better than 50% overall improvement in fuel costs.  Even without massive tax, that’s something worth considering.

While we wait for the big improvement in storing electrical power the bio diesel industry should get a major boost with hybrid technology.  Economic growth uses lots of diesel, and getting it to go further by more than 25% is well worth the investigation by car, truck and bus buyers.

Kraig Higginson, Chairman of Raser Technologies explains, “We have been successful in the development of a very promising E-REV power train technology.  We are pleased that it will soon be offered commercially in America’s most popular vehicle, the pick-up truck, by an exciting new electric vehicle company.  The new company plans to begin delivering the first extended range electric trucks to fleet customers beginning the end of this year.”

For the Berg side, he has strategic holdings in a leading lithium ion battery company and an electric vehicle manufacturing company specializing in medium duty electric trucks and delivery vehicles. In the transaction Mr. Berg will initially capitalize the new company with $4.5 million, of which Raser will receive $2.5 million in cash; $1.5 million was paid at closing and the remainder to be paid by December 20, 2010.  The balance of $4.5 million will be used as working capital for the new company.

Beyond the cash, Raser receives a 39% interest in the new company and will retain the right to appoint one of the three members of the new company’s board of directors.

Mr. Berg notes, “I am very pleased with the acquisition and the opportunity for rapid growth in the electric vehicle market based on Raser’s strategic position, orders and their E-REV truck technology.  I believe that this automotive company will offer a completely new kind of work truck to help electrify the largest segment of the automobile business and convert thousands of soft orders into deliveries over the next few years.”

It’s all adding up.  In July of 2010, Raser said that it had a backlog of more than 10,000 soft orders for plug-in fleet vehicles.  Back in 2008 Raser and its systems integration partner FEV announced and displayed the components of its extended-range plug-in series hybrid electric vehicle power train and integrated drive system designed for full-size SUVs and pickup trucks. In ’09 FEV showcased a range-extended electric vehicle HUMMER H3 done in cooperation with Raser at the SAE World Congress.

Raser Series Hybrid Pickup SUV Chassis. Click image for the largest view.

Today the specs gathered across web pages sends 700 volts of DC power directly to the 3-phase inverter, eliminating a DC/DC converter, from advanced technology lithium ion batteries to a 200 kW Raser designed ‘Symetron Enhanced’ AC induction motor and drive system with regenerative braking.  A high power controller drives the motor at maximum efficiency using proprietary control algorithms.  The hybrid master controller manages all vehicle systems.

For four wheel drive a high performance automatic transmission and transfer case sharing power between the front and rear axles delivers the performance of a fully powered 4 wheel drive.  One motor does it all.

For power beyond the battery charge and to extend range an onboard 100 kW generator can also recharge the batteries rapidly and efficiently.  The Generator also provides direct power to the electric motor when batteries are low.  The Symetron PM generator was custom designed to match the most efficient operating speeds of the combustion engine. This allows the engine to operate only at its peak efficiency range and only when needed to recharge the lithium ion batteries.

In Raser’s plug-in series hybrid architecture, the combustion engine is only used occasionally to recharge the batteries. A much smaller, more efficient 1 to 2 liter combustion engine can replace a conventional 5-6-liter engine. The combustion engine is connected only to the electric generator and is not connected to the drive system.  The engine is used only generate electricity and recharge the batteries when the vehicle drives beyond its 40-mile battery range.

Just what body or cab will be available isn’t stated.  But as Raser and the new firm get up to speed costs due to manufacturing volume should pull prices down.  Getting your favorite Ford, Chevy or Dodge pickup in series hybrid is coming.

Raser is a company of some considerable acumen.  From geothermal to the hybrid power trains the company is making solid progress – something other innovators should watch closely, in getting to market.  Raser seems to the leader and aspirants to get past them are going to need a very major breakthrough technology.

Go Raser, Go!

Its been a long time coming, electrified personal transport is far to sensible to overlook, particularly in energy efficiency, but as manufacturing volumes go up, the basic personal investment needed will come down, too.

Volt Leaf Prius Tesla

The two cars are opening rounds for the three main types.  Hybrids that are powered by fuels, fueled hybrids that plug in to the grid and fully plugged in vehicles with no fuel for extending range.  They are very different paths to personal transport.

Some 20+ models of hybrids powered by fuels are on the market now soaking up about 2.3% of U.S. new car sales, down from 2.8% a year ago.  The Toyota Prius takes about half of the market.  The Prius is the model for many, its fueled without a grid connection, gets better than 50 mpg highway and sells in the high $20K range.  Most of the other 25 models work much the same – all the energy comes from the fuel – the energy is simply handled more efficiently.

The GM Volt is expected to sell at $41K before dealers gouge the first buyer group.  The Volt can be plugged in to the grid – replacing gasoline with generated power for the first miles of a trip.  For most trips that could be all grid energy.  The Volt does have serious appeal on this point.

The Nissan Leaf is much more daring.  Less complex than the Volt, no generation set is aboard; the Leaf relies on the plug in to get energized.   With 24kWh of battery capacity fully loaded and kind weather that capacity will satisfy a huge segment of the driving public.  The price will be some anxiety on range and perhaps some new habits, like plugging in.  The Leaf is thought to be sold out already.  Some say the Nissan dealers are more decent about price than the GM dealers.  The sales when deliveries begin promise to be interesting. Then the owner reports will be critical for the future.  Who gets stopped on ‘E’ looking for a plug or a tow and why will matter to the rest of us.

The Leaf also cracks the $400 per kWh battery price point.  The Times of London is reporting that Nissan can load the battery at under $9,000US. But Nissan has an advantage – the sales volume is set across much of the world instead of just the U.S.  Without internal combustion engine emissions compliance, variations across markets for the standardization gets much simpler, which cuts back on engineering, tooling and parts costs.

The GM Volt rumors have the Volt’s battery estimated at near $600 kWh.  The U.S.’s Advanced Battery consortium has a target of $400 by the mid 2010s.  Even more significant is Nissan is using air-cooling for the batteries while others, significantly the Volt, using liquid cooling – again simplifying and cutting costs.  The maintenance of air over liquid will be a long-term advantage for owners, too.  No surprise here, the Japanese have been crushing U.S. makes for decades, and the trend looks to continue.

These observations will take second seat to the customer’s ideas of what’s important.  Nissan trumpets some wild numbers for the equivalent miles per gallon.  That’s a topic yet to be standardized and when it is – it will be complex.  Owners will get to compare the power bill for a month over a chosen previous month with the earlier periods gasoline bill for hard numbers.  It will be cheaper.  Lots less money if done smartly.

The problem that can come up is range.  The needs in the car’s cabin are going to drive engineers a little nuts trying to come up with heat and air conditioning.  Leaf and other full plug ins are going to need some serious effort at getting to less energy demand for the vehicles interior.  Hybrids with generator sets are going to have a perceived advantage if not a deal making advantage.

Finally the incentives – the Prius seems to miss the Federal tax credit of $7,500.  That tax credit requires an adjusted gross income better than $55K for single filers or $74K for married couples.  That might slip when the tax rates go back up – but not a huge amount – leaving a huge part of the market out of the deal.  This will hurt many for the benefit of a few.  The tax credit idea might haunt manufacturers for years.

For better than one hundred years racing has lead automobile technology.  For the electrification of personal transport the racing crowd has started in and may offer some great ideas soon.  If anything electric vehicles are entertaining.  While one isn’t seeing 500-mile races the ¼ mile accelerating ‘drag race’ is seeing lots of innovation.  While battery or ultracapacitors could bring the long milage races into reality, the drag race is the scene for now.  And it’s quite a scene.

What follows is the ‘White Zombie’ from Oregon that has gone through the quarter mile from a dead stop to 117.23 miles per hour in just 10.4 seconds.  That’s supercar/musclecar territory.  Owned, built and driven by John Wayland the 1972 Datsun (now Nissan) has been a project for 16 years.  The Datsun sports a 22.7 kWh lithium manganese cobalt polymer pack battery running at 355.2 volts.  In the video the Datsun is paired to a Nissan GT-R supercar with 485 horsepower.  For the run Wayland boosted the power to 1800 amps and the motor current to 2000 amps.  Poor GT-R, not fair is it?

Capstone Micro Turbine and Electrcity Equipment Overlay. Click image for the largest view.

Capstone released configurations of the C30 (30 kW) microturbine as a range extender meeting California Air Resources Board (CARB) requirements for New On-Road Heavy-Duty Engines for Urban Bus – Hybrid service with no emissions aftertreatment.

The question afoot is replacing a 40-45% thermal efficient continuous speed diesel engine with an unrecuperated gas turbine engine at 20-30% efficiency a good idea.  Small micro-turbines seem to be as efficient and run as cleanly (if not more so) than the internal combustion engines currently used for hybrid electric gensets.  Mass production in the millions would drive down the costs.  It’s a demonstration worth a review.

In total efficiency turbos win.  For thermal efficiency a diesel would win, but add in the mechanical efficiency and the turbo wins.  Internal combustion with pistons, rods, cranks, and the valve gear generate lots of friction and resistance.  And turbines weigh much less allowing for more battery or capacitor capacity.

The design characteristics of Capstone’s turbine permits ultra-low emissions, high-fuel economy, multi-fuel capability, no coolants or lubricating oil, and little to no maintenance in hybrid electric vehicle applications.

Another angle is the fuel, turbines can use a much wider range of products than a diesel, permitting much more versatility in choice and cost control.

Capstone’s microturbine technology offers many benefits, including an extremely low emission levels that meet the most stringent CARB and EPA 2010 requirements without any exhaust after-treatment. That’s a major point alone.

Capstone Micro Turbine Generation Set Block Diagram. Click image for the largest view.

As part of a recent joint development agreement with CalMotors, the Capstone hybrid electric vehicle product offering will now include inverter drives, traction motors and a vehicle power control module that will seamlessly integrate with Capstone 30kW and 65kW microturbines.

The inverters and traction motors are mobile hardened versions of the well-proven Parker Hannifin industrial motor drive products. The Capstone microturbines are able to operate on traditional liquid fuels such as diesel and biodiesel but can also utilize alternative fuels such as natural gas without sacrificing efficiency.

Jim Crouse, Executive Capstone VP of Sales and Marketing said in the press release, “This demonstration project is the first of several vehicle applications we are working on that will use the new Capstone Drive Solution. The other projects include Class 4 commercial trucks and Class 8 tractors and utilize both new OEM applications like this one and retrofits to existing vehicles. We are also pursuing marine applications for both auxiliary power and propulsion. Our new Capstone Drive Solution offering will open a lot of opportunities for electric drive systems where our ultra-low emissions and high efficiency have an advantage over more traditional prime movers.”

Darren Jamison, Capstone President and CEO offers, “A successful demonstration of the Capstone Drive Solution in this heavy duty truck application can have significant market impact. It is for this reason that the OEM truck manufacturer we are partnering with has decided not to be named at this point. However we expect that the demonstration phase will be successful and that key customers will begin to appreciate the many positive benefits of the Capstone Drive Solution. Our OEM partner is prepared to make this development more public once they confirm the performance and customer reaction.”

Still, one wonders who the OEM manufacturer leader is.

Capstone already has a Model C30 liquid fueled microturbine successfully integrated into a Ford S-Max people carrier done by Langford Performance Engineering in the United Kingdom. Langford reports that the “Whisper Eco-Logic” car gets up to 80 mpg in early stage demonstration testing.

Light weight, multifuel, low emissions, very high efficiency, no coolants, little or no lubrication oil, and a dramatically lower maintenance cost – micro turbines have a bright future when the unit cost comes down.

Caterpillar D7E Generator. Click image for a larger view.

Within the propulsion module are two heavy-duty electric motors using the AC current that drives through common gearing into the differential steering system. Power from the steering system is transferred via axles to the mechanical, double-reduction final drives to provide smooth, infinitely variable driving force to the tracks.

Caterpillar D7E Power Train. Click image for a larger view.

Noteworthy is that this system does not use hydraulic pumps and motors for power transitions.  Hydraulic hybrids are much more common than regular folks realize from self-propelled and riding lawn mowers, Bobcat loaders on to large farm machinery and some models of those giant mining trucks.

What Caterpillar has done is engineer the pattern set out in diesel locomotives where a diesel engine to hooked to a generator powers electric motors for the drive wheels.  The cream is in the efficiency numbers.

Caterpillar D7E Graphic Features. Click image for the largest view.

Caterpillar is claiming, and the numbers will likely be borne out by buyers is 10% to 30% lower fuel use per hour that would move at least 10% more material per hour as the blade size is larger than the engine with transmission model.  That should take overall efficiency to an average or better than 25% more work for unit of fuel.  Across the whole of the earth moving industry that would add up to a significant amount of diesel fuel.

Another benefit is the near elimination of dragging one side to steer.  Cat’s brochure claims 50% better steering performance, which in tighter working quarters where there is a lot of directional change has to be better than the 50% number.

For up time situations where dozers see a lot of continuous use, Cat points out that the electric drive model has 60% fewer moving parts.  They expect up 50% longer life from the propulsion unit and the lower track and suspension units should come in lasting 35% to 70% longer.  One could think electric drive is gentler on the tracks and suspension.

Caterplllar D7E Electric Power Train Graphic. Click image for the largest view.

Electric drive brings serious improvements to operational and life expectancy costs.  Add to that there are some things such as the transmission that need lots of lubricating oil, filters and attention, which are simply missing, saving a lot of maintenance costs.  The power train maintenance remaining has doubled time periods before attention in needed.

Cat began its effort to engineer electric hybrids drive back in the 1990s.  At brochure writing there were 18 dozers running at customer’s sites following 50,000 hours of laboratory development and test site work, so far.

The engine runs in a narrow rpm range between 1,500 and 1,800 rpm, instead of between 1,600 rpm and 2,200 rpm in the conventional D7R Series 2. Because it drives a generator instead of a powershift transmission, the D7E’s engine doesn’t need to rev as high or low to regulate speed.  The D7E produces slightly lower power than the Cat 3176 engine in the conventional D7R—however, increased drive train efficiency allows the D7E to deliver better performance from less horsepower, resulting in improved productivity and lower fuel consumption.

Current flows from the generator through special armored cables and military-grade connectors to a solid-state inverter, then to the propulsion module. Within the propulsion module are two heavy-duty electric motors that drive through common gearing into the differential steering system.

Caterpillar D7E Power Flow Block Diagram. Click image for a larger view.

Advanced electronics provide DC (direct) current to power the accessory system. The modular heating and air conditions system, water pump and battery charger are electrically powered for maximum reliability in varied conditions.  The engine has no accessory drive belts, everything is direct or electric drive.

Customer testers are saying things like, “It feels like it has the power of a D8, Never stops. Great looking dozer. Great visibility to the work area.”  The D7E sports a very spacious and comfortable cab.  Setup with a guidance system, it’s a very good finishing machine.

The customers like all the adjustable settings on the controls and arm rests, and like not shifting gears and letting the dozer do the work.  The lighting is “awesome” on this dozer when equipped with a 10 light group package.

The machine is extremely quiet and starts great in cold temperatures. The dozer and steering controls are very responsive. Track speed control is really good when going over a crest and there’s good side-to-side stability.  The electrically controlled hydraulic system is very fast and responsive.  Customers are consistently confirming the 10-30% fuel economy advantage.  In some applications, greater economy benefits are reported.  Just what those applications are is of considerable interest.

Pricing for an initial purchase for a new D7E with electric drive will be approximately 12% less than a larger class D8 and about 20% more than the conventional D7R. That would make the buying minus operating costs savings balance in a 2 ½ year payback compared to a conventional machine.  Cat would do well to try a little harder to drive down the purchase price.

The Cat Dealers are now taking orders for production that began in October 2009.
The dozer is in limited production during the ramp up, with full production capacity due in early 2010.  The conventional D7R Series II will remain available until mid 2010 suggesting that the conventional design is on its way out if the press release writer got the matter correct.

The stepping down from diesel locomotives to huge mining trucks and now the popular midsize bulldozer shows all consumers that the series hybrid can pay off handsomely for fuel and operating costs.  Here Caterpillar is showing with increasing accuracy the benefits that the series hybrid offers in performance and operating costs. Caterpillar dozers while common are by no means the kind of unit volume a popular automobile model would propose.  One should expect that a series hybrid auto could be less costly to buy than the same car with a larger motor, transmission and all the needed support equipment. Price parity should include some battery or capacitor storage and still get price parity.

Cat is also making clear that the next step can have a major impact on oil use, running expense and product lifetime.  Its been known for decades in the railroad business and now in earth moving that series hybrids are very efficient, now its tricking to smaller machines.  Series hybrid light trucks and automobiles should come soon, saving those buyers a lot of fuel and maintenance costs with better performance.

I can assure you of one thing, if this weren’t worthwhile, Caterpillar would not be offering such a machine.  Series hybrid works.

Plesko's Converter Inverter Set. Click image for more information.

Plesko says, “It’s rumored that hybrid vehicles can improve your image, but in some cases the automobile companies have difficulties to cover their costs.”  With Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz driving up to the red carpet in their hybrid cars, hybrids have become increasingly interesting to the conventional car market.  Hybrid cars in a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor have increasingly become the focus of research projects in many universities.

Now, you see them more and more frequently the roads, but hybrid cars are not mass-produced at the levels of conventional drives as their production costs are still relatively high.  Plesko’s research has developed a new concept described on the platform of her doctoral thesis that integrates power electronic functions and the electric motor, which could reduce the costs of producing hybrid cars.

Plesko asks the question, how hybrid vehicles can be constructed more cost-effectively. A substantial proportion of the costs are swallowed up by the electric motor and the power electronic energy management system, in which inverters and DC/DC converters play the fundamental role. Plesko’s approach is based on a new concept where these components, i.e. the power electronics and the electric motor perform several functions simultaneously. The multiple uses of the electronic parts and the motor also saves in the component volume needed.

In the research group “Future Automotive Power Electronics” headed by senior scientist Jürgen Biela, Plesko has developed a system for her doctoral thesis that integrates the inverter, the DC/DC converter and the electric motor functionally.  In hybrid vehicle designs batteries power the electric motor, but also the radio, ventilation and the lights. The electrical drive system, for which a high DC voltage of 200 – 600V should to be converted into a three-phase AC voltage for best efficiency, while a low DC voltage of 12V is sufficient to power a car radio. Inverters, which convert the direct current into an alternating current, and DC/DC converters, which transfer the power between two  of the batteries for the two voltage levels, are therefore important power electronic components in hybrid or electric vehicles. For current hybrid vehicles, these converters are located outside the electric motor.

Plesko has developed a system that integrates the inverter, the DC/DC converter and the electric motor functionally. By condensing the functions of the drive and the DC/DC converter in combination, certain electronic components and the motor lamination stack can be shared. Large quantities of such functionally integrated systems will be cheaper to produce, as fewer raw materials are needed. Beyond that, Plesko’s design is less complex, making it much easier to produce.

Plesko’s prototype uses a very small motor with an output power of 3 kW. 50 kW would have been more real world, but the test set-up was not designed for such high power levels. She is convinced that her design will also work for real engine power. Two patents have been applied for in anticipation of a license program with initial talks with one of the big car companies, but whether a collaboration will materialize remains unclear as yet.

Plesko’s supervisor Johann Kolar, a professor of power electronics points out the implementation of new concepts in the field of hybrid vehicles is often difficult for entrenched car manufacturers. The difficulty lies in bringing their traditionally dominant engineering expertise adding new areas like power electronics, storage technologies and electromechanical energy conversion for a forward-looking overall concept with excellent performance. Kolar says Japanese automobile manufacturers have assumed a pioneering role in this respect: mechanical and electrical engineers work hand in glove, resulting in a very wide range of expertise with great technological depth. This extends to the production of the automobile companies’ own power semiconductors.

Kolar expresses belief that Plesko’s new concept is a useful advancement, a position this writer shares.  Whether it will make it onto the hybrid market, however, remains to be seen. But Plesko’s innovation could have interesting applications for industrial automation, robotics and the field of “more electric aircraft”, where new concepts are being developed e.g. for electric actuation of fight control surfaces and air conditioning as well as for onboard electrical energy management.

Plesko illustrates that innovation by combining roles, using component structures for multiple uses and refining the electronics to simplify and modularize the control set can have significant cost reduction potential.  Hybrids are sure to be in the market for quite some time, even if battery or ultracapacitors have a major impact.  But the point of the thesis is clear, significant savings from research and innovation both in building electric drive sets and the costs of operations are just beginning with much more to come.

Hanna Plesko from ETH Zurich.

Plesko’s doctoral thesis is due to be finished in December. “And I don’t even own a car!” she laughs.

Volvo Cars is currently evaluating the viability of a fully battery-electric vehicle (BEV). This year, Volvo has built and internally testing a small number of prototype versions of a BEV version of its C30. In addition to focusing on performance and safety, much of the focus is on integration of the electric propulsion system with the rest of the car.

Volvo C30 BEV In Blue

The electric Swedish stunner is built on the C30 hatchback and comes with all the safety, comfort and space we expect from Volvo.  The company already is working on a Volvo plug-in hybrid due in 2012, but seems to be building a city car with the C30.

Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles, said in a corporate statement, “The Volvo C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power.  This car’s excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting.”

Volvo C30 BEV. Click image for the largest view.

Are we seeing the slow death of the SUV, minivan and others with a birth of a city car, over the road car and other more energy wise vehicle types?  Or are we just seeing a new car class being born?  The Volvo C30 is far more substantial than the Smart Car and other two seat city car contenders.

The C30 BEV is limited to a top speed of about 130 km/h (80 mph)—more than sufficient, Volvo says, for a city car application. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) will take less than 11 seconds. The car would have a range of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles)—longer than the distance 90% of all Europe’s motorists drive per day and surely covers a wide swath of U.S. motorists as well.

Volvo C30 BEV Instruments. Click Image for the largest view.

Volvo’s battery choice for the C30 BEV is designed and developed in the U.S. by EnerDel, Inc., Ener1’s U.S. battery subsidiary. This adds to the recently announced collaboration with Volvo on the V70 model plug-in hybrid demonstration vehicles being road tested in Europe starting this fall, which are also using the EnerDel lithium-ion batteries.

Using EnerDel’s EV chemistry, hard carbon and mixed oxide in a lithium-ion battery pack, yields gross nominal power of 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and is said to be considering a 12 kWh pack.  The EnerDel battery set is custom-made and is a split battery pack.  With an energy content of more than 24 kWh nominal energy, Volvo plans that 22.7 kWh is used to power the car.

The electric traction motor is located under the hood, just like the engine in a conventional front wheel drive car. One of the priorities of the Volvo project is to find the optimal placing of the battery. Most likely it will be the prop shaft tunnel and where the fuel tank normally is located. These locations are within the car’s optimized crumple zone in the most common collision scenarios.

Volvo C30 Battery Layout. Click image for more info.

Recharging the C30’s EnerDel battery pack via a household supply at 230V, 16A would take about eight hours.  That’s a rate similar to a mid sized window air conditioner, meaning consumers would only need a 20 amp 240 volt outlet where parking overnight.

Volvo has already built a small number of the cars and begun testing. Volvo says the early testing has focused largely on integrating the electric drive train with the rest of the car.

Volvo always emphasizes its focus on safety, saying that if it chooses to introduce an entirely new type of electric car on the market, it will be just as safe as any other car bearing the Volvo badge. Volvo has been working to theoretically identify all the electrification-related safety scenarios in the stages before, during and after a collision. After careful study of these scenarios, the company’s engineers will create solutions for handling each and every situation identified, “guaranteeing that any future electric cars fully match Volvo’s safety standards in every respect.”  Considering the Volvo record, that is as sure a thing as can be credible.

Volvo plans the main electrification track over the coming decades will be plug-in hybrids. That track applies in particular to the company’s larger car models. The combination of an electric motor and combustion engine is a solution that probably has the greatest potential from both the technical and commercial viewpoints.  Plug-in hybrids offer long range, good environmental performance and at the same time limited dependence on expensive battery technology while cutting back on the fossil fuel demand.

From the three point seat belt invented at Volvo and licensed without charge to anyone world wide, to the research and development of the O2 sensor (called lamdasond) also made available at very low license rates to encourage development worldwide, Volvo is a major innovator in motor vehicles. Maybe those ax carved body designs were early visions of what’s to come, and they did come.

Volvo’s Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo Cars said, “The consumer must feel that this [battery electric] car is attractive both to drive and own. In order to ensure this, we feel that electric cars will have to be as comfortable and safe and offer similar levels of performance as cars with other power sources. The learning from the C30 BEV project will help us to fulfill all these criteria and showcase Volvo’s determination to drive developments in the field of electrification.”

Volvo is currently owned and a division of sorts of the Ford Motor Company, the one last standing non-bankrupt U.S. automaker.  For all the storied past from Ford both good and bad, the current leadership have been excellent stewards.  Volvo is said to be available for sale, but the price must be very high.  It has to be, one would think, the Volvo status is the safest, sanest and efficient cars that are priced within reach of the U.S. and world middle class.  Volvo may be a small make, but its one of the major ones to watch.

Astute readers will realize that power to weight and the size issues of motors are going to weigh heavily on the minds of automotive designers and engineers.  With essentially all of the grand British automotive industry gone into international, foreign hands or just gone the Brits are bucked up again.  Oxford’s Dr. Malcolm McCulloch, head of Oxford’s Electronic Power Group says, “British engineering spurred the original growth of the automotive industry, and we believe engineering excellence can reinvigorate the industry again.”  He goes on to say, “We’re taking technology which has already been proven in a number of vehicles to a wider market. With Oxford Yasa Motors we’ll be able to deliver a range of commercial products that will help the UK launch itself as a premier destination for electric vehicle development.”  Not down or out by any means over there.  Yesterday was the Lotus side of fuel to power, today its power to the road.  Let’s hope they’ve learned the lesson of the old Lucas electrical terrors, a bane that remains for many – unforgettable.

Money has already started to pile up for the development of Oxford Yasa.  The group received £75,000 in funding from the Oxford University Challenge Seed fund to build a prototype for use in high performance electronic vehicles.  Add to that they’ve announced success in securing a grant from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board as part of a £1.89 million consortium to develop a higher volume version of the motor.  Then there is a closed £1.45 million funding round with private investor Seven Spires Investments Limited.  That comes to £3.415,000 or $5,658,000. – just to start – so one realizes the Brits are serious about this motor.

Oxford's McCulloch and New Motor

McCulloch adds, “We have optimized the materials and design, so that the motor is much lighter and more effective, giving half the volume and twice the torque for the same power output. This electric motor technology will reduce fuel consumption and also help us move away fossil-based fuels to alternative energies.”  Twice the torque?  That will be something.

McCulloch and Dr Tim Woolmer, then a PhD student in the group, originally devised the electric motor for the 2008 Morgan Lifecar and to build a prototype for use in high performance electronic vehicles.  “We’re taking technology which has already been proven in a number of vehicles to a wider market,” says McCulloch.

Oxford's New Motor. Click image for more.

For the past 8 months the Oxford team has collaborated with the engineering firm Delta Motorsports to configure the motor for a new four-seat coupe, which is scheduled for track tests scheduled at the end of 2009.

Delta's four seater to use the Oxford motor. Click image for the largest view.

The motor can also be adapted for aerospace, renewable and industrial applications where improved power to weight performance combined with the ability to offer more compact electric drive systems will offer significant commercial advantage to customers. Investor Ian Page from Seven Spires Investments commented saying,  “This is a great opportunity to participate in world-leading technology at the forefront of a rapidly expanding multi-billion dollar market for electric motors.”

With such a cash position to start and the likelihood that much of the heavy industrial work such as castings and machined parts can be supplied to specifications, the company’s goals to sell a low volume of the motors in its first year, as well as scaling up production and developing new models seem quite reasonable.

This announcement and the Lotus announcement covers the coachbuilder of automotive vehicles heavy industrial needs.  A kit of sorts is now on the open market for a complete power source to power delivery.  This kind of news must make the large and slower automobile manufacturers a little unnerved.  Congratulations are in order for these Brits.

That leaves the major industrial investments of body frames, electric power steering and an air conditioning compressor for a full coachbuilder’s list of vendors to support designing bodies, interiors and accessories to assemble into custom designs.  One has to wonder just how long it will be before one gets on the net and designs one’s own car.

Lets see, a slick and light carbon fiber frame holding a Lotus generator set, 20 miles of battery only power, 30 seconds of full drive motor power from the capacitors, 150 hp at the wheels, power steering, air conditioning with a leather interior cased in a station wagon body and I’m in!

The Range Extender Engine is a three-cylinder 1.2-liter, optimized between two power generation points, giving 15 kW of electrical power at 1,500 rpm and 35 kW at 3,500 rpm.  Designed for low mass with an integrated electrical generator it comes in at only 56 kilograms or about 123.5 pounds. Astonishing.

Lotus Range Extender Engine Generator Set. Click image for more information.

A successful market for series hybrid vehicles depends on acceptable driving range, so vehicle manufacturers must overcome the challenges of high vehicle cost including batteries, capacitors and charging sets.. The Lotus Range Extender Engine not only offers the advantage of a cost effective design, but also its high efficiency and low mass will also enable the downsizing of expensive batteries while maintaining vehicle efficiency and range. The engine has been designed using production methodologies and the parts procured from low volume potential production suppliers, offering a fast route to market for original equipment manufacturers wanting to source a dedicated range extender for series hybrid vehicles.

The new engine features an innovative architecture based on an aluminum monoblock that integrates the cylinder block, cylinder head and exhaust manifold in one casting. This result in reduced engine mass, assembly costs, package size and improved emissions and engine durability.

Paul Newsome, Managing Director of Lotus Engineering said, “The engine concept we have created with its optimized combustion and compact, low mass, low cost construction is a clear demonstration of the expertise and progressive approach Lotus takes for its own research and for its clients.”  The engine is being developed as part of the ‘Limo-Green’ project funded by the UK’s Technology Strategy Board, a collaboration between Lotus Engineering, Jaguar Cars Ltd, MIRA Ltd and Caparo Vehicle Technologies, for demonstrating a large, lightweight, prestigious executive saloon with less than 120 g/km CO2 emissions.

Lotus Engineering’s technical director Simon Wood points out, “Most series hybrid vehicles that are currently being developed will use adaptations of existing, conventional engines which are therefore compromised in the efficiency that they can achieve, designed as they are for a wide range of operating conditions. Designing the Lotus Range Extender purely for use in series hybrids has allowed us instead to develop an optimized engine that has high thermal efficiency, low fuel consumption, multi-fuel capability and a 35 kW peak output from a 1.2 liter, low cost architecture over the precise operating range required by a series hybrid drive train.”  Manufacturers take note, this path is the surest way to low cost builds and customer operating expenses.

The general engine specifications seem mundane if small.  But don’t make an assumption that exotic requires exotic specifications.  Lotus is coming to market with 1.2 liters in a 3 cylinder under a conventional 2 valve head topped by a single overhead cam driven by a belt.  Where the innovation takes place is in the casting where a single block is milled to form the crankshaft block, cylinder head and the exhaust manifold.  At a low 10:1 compression ratio Lotus has managed 47 bhp or better than 39 hp per liter with 107 Nm of torque.  The unit runs on gasoline, ethanol, methanol and combinations.

Taking the opportunity to just skip idle and high rpm power output is being shown by Lotus that serious continuous power can be obtained in just two running speeds.  What is missing is the overall thermal efficiency number; one specification that entrances engineers the world over.

Keep in mind that a steady state of 47 bhp is a considerable amount of raw power.  Saved back in capacitors and batteries for high power demands could offer up to several multiples of the 47 bhp for bursts whose burst time length is more a case of the capacitor storage than the power source’s gross output.  It also offers a design choice of less costly batteries, lower weights and other important choices.  For many, this writer included, range from batteries isn’t so critical as the total cost for 100 to 200 miles trips.

The opposing views will see that Lotus is a small volume manufacturer that openly states that the suppliers are as well.  That leaves the cost issue very much in mind.  But the technological developments are very likely available for moderate fees to any manufacturer looking to leapfrog ahead in the technology.

Lotus’ offering raises questions such as the thermal efficiency.  But most importantly the questions of efficiency are now becoming possible to answer.  Various combinations of generator sets, the capacitors selected for peak power and the range of choices for batteries are soon to be measurable and analyzable for overall cost to buy and operate with the choice made for motors to put the power to the wheels.

I congratulate Lotus Engineering for getting such a well thought out item to the market.  The purchase of vehicles will soon get very interesting.  We may find that 300 hp at the wheels for up to so many seconds might still have a capability of very high overall fuel mileage.  Smart choices in wind drag and overall weight added to this level of power technology well greatly extend and reduce the need for fuels and charging energy.

If the midsize sports sedan as Americans view the Brit’s “large, lightweight, prestigious executive saloon” can get to say 75 mpg and that gallon is 85% sourced from renewables such as methanol and ethanol the demand for gasoline will enter a long slow decline as well as reduce the world’s demand for crude oil.

Lets just hope that Lotus comes out with a thermal efficiency number that can be closely comparable to the numbers competitors will need to show as well.  The series hybrid market looks to get very exciting soon.

Burke’s latest paper is a study on ultracapacitors as energy storage devices for vehicles. In the paper he evaluates the current state of the art in ultra capacitors and just how suitable they might be to use in the next generation of power sets and drivelines.  Burke doesn’t waste much effort with obtuse perspectives but looks squarely at the applicability in usable energy and the power requirements.  He sort of “prewrings” the topic out so one can see quickly what might be fluff and hype and what one better give some serious attention.

The paper of interest is “Ultracapacitor Technologies and Applications in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.” For hybrids and electric vehicles useful energy stores and the maximum power pulse matters most as that defines the maximum engineered output and what is needed to service it.  That’s the answer to the steep onramp matter that frightens most drivers – can I get on here with this thing –question.

What really seized my attention is that Burke is using carbon based capacitors in part of the research.  Until EEStor gets to market and likely for a long time to come the carbon guys with Reticle for a new example have great futures.  Burke explains with comparisons using ultracapacitors and advanced (mostly lithium) batteries with applications chosen where the ultra capacitors can be used in place of, or with batteries to cut the fuel use.  He even goes far enough to compare costs, naming the manufacturers he is informed about.

Burke's Simulation Results. Click image for the largest view.

Now before we go all off with acclaim Burke is using simulations, with each comparison framed from the same internal combustion midsize vehicle, the Ford Focus 2 liter 4 cylinder engine.  Thus with a real world map the simulations get more real of course, but are simulation nevertheless. In the paper the Burke allows for a “micro-hybrid” with only 30 Wh 6kW peak power ultracapacitor.  More simulations include higher power charging motors, with up to 12 kW (that’s under 20 hp) and larger storage up to 50 Wh.  One fast lesson is charging motors can be too small, a 3 kW motor reduced fuel economy by more than 50%.

Another lesson is that straight carbon ultracapacitors are more economical that hybrid type carbon ultracapacitors. “hybrid carbon devices had higher energy density, but even though their power density for 95% efficiency was relatively high (1050 W/kg), it was not proportionally higher—that is twice as high—as the carbon/carbon devices with lower energy density. These results show clearly that it is essential to develop high energy density ultracapacitors with proportionally higher power density; otherwise their use in vehicle applications will be compromised.” EEStor beware.

On the bright side is the observation that the minimum energy in watt hours required to operate a series type vehicle in real world driving considering the energy density of ultra capacitors “are such that the power and cycle life requirement will be met in most cases if the unit is large enough to meet the energy storage requirement.”  Now that’s reassuring.  It seems from these simulations that low power charge motor requirements in the 20 hp range with adequate storage would provide quite nice performance.  Very little more would mean major improvements in performance such as quicker acceleration and more power accessories.  Series hybrids with ultracapacitors look more welcoming and carbon ultracapacitors could get some major market share if pricing can be driven down far enough quickly enough.

In the plugin EV simulation Burke learns using a high energy density battery (200 Wh/kg) and ultracapacitors would provide two-thirds of the power to a 70 kW electric motor.  Burke’s plug in EV would be the type needing a charge sustaining motor too, but adds more storage.  In this simulation, “The combined weight of the cells in the battery and hybrid carbon ultracapacitors would be 78 kg for a plug-in hybrid with an all-electric range of about 40 miles. The combined weight using the carbon/carbon ultracapacitors would be 100 kg. Using a high power lithium-ion battery with an energy density of 100 Wh/kg without ultracapacitors, the weight of the battery cells alone would be 120 kg. Hence for plug-in hybrids combining a battery with ultracapacitors is an attractive design option.”

In a simulation that confuses this author, Burke considers plug-in series hybrids (extended range electric vehicles) where the batteries are unable to provide the peak power to the electric motor. This would be most likely, Burke wrote, if the plug-in range was relatively short and/or high energy density batteries of modest power density were being used in the vehicle. In those cases, the ultracapacitors would greatly reduce the power demands on the battery and lead to less stress on the battery and longer cycle life.  That must be the urban transport kind of vehicle that seems of dubious value in the U.S.  But Burke learns “The simulation results indicate that the fuel economy of the series hybrid is slightly higher than that of the parallel charge sustaining hybrid when both are operated in the charge sustaining mode. The engine/generator was sized such that the series hybrids were full-function vehicles. Thus all the hybrid vehicles including the series hybrids in the all-electric mode have performance equivalent to the conventional ICE vehicle.”

Burke even goes so far as to include fuel cell power.  Now fuel cells are still out there in the future but offer substantial efficiency advantages over an internal combustion engine as the charging source.  Fuel cells offer a power handling opportunity to simplify their incorporation into power sets with ultracapacitors.  As capacitors drain down the voltage drops as well.  A fuel cell could be wired in parallel as done by Honda.  The fuel cell charges as the cap drains so self-controlling the system to a large extent.  But fuel cells are still – out there for a while.

Burke doesn’t come out and say explicitly, but the research study suggests that should carbon based capacitors drive to higher volumes and lower prices high power drives to the pavement supported by high efficiency charging motors can be market viable very soon.  Maybe that 200 wheel horse power on demand making an average well over 50 mpg isn’t such a far out dream after all.