Mild hybrids on the upswing?
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While most consumers are now carefully looking at the fuel economy of their next car, legislators are still focusing their efforts on reducing vehicle emissions. While emission standards vary around the world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the existing and future standards with incremental changes to conventional gasoline and diesel engines. Full hybrids, like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape, offer fuel economy improvements, and as a direct result, produce lower CO2 emissions. But not every customer wants to buy one of the few hybrid models currently available. A mild hybrid system like the one proposed by Ricardo, an automotive consultant, allows downsizing of the engine by using a relatively low capacity battery in conjunction with an electric motor to boost torque when required. The system offers a no-compromise answer to improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, and is more cost effective. The system Ricardo developed with Valeo, known as Imogen, was demonstrated on an Opel Astra model originally propelled by a 2.0l diesel engine. The Imogen equipped prototype matches the power and torque of the original vehicle by using a 1.2 liter diesel engine combined with an electric starter/alternator mounted on the flywheel. Combined with electrification of the accessories and engine shut down, the car achieved a fuel economy of 3.98litres/100km in the NEDC cycle, a 28% improvement of the baseline vehicle and tailpipe emissions reduced to half of the Euro 4 standards. [Source: Engineer Live!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 9:56AM (8/10/2006)
There seems to be a bit of snobbery over whether a vehicle is a real 'hybrid'. I think the most important point is that they're trying new technologies to up the fuel economy. It takes all kinds to develop new technology, and the development eventaully makes everyone a winner - the company with sales, the buyer with savings or warm fuzzies, and the environment with less oil used and emissions.
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me 11:24AM (8/11/2006)
Isn't this very similar to the upcoming VUE Greenline and the hoped for Aura Greenline (where the V6 is replaced by a 4 cylinder mild hybrid).
Mild hybrids are cheaper and pay for the extra cost the buyer puts in, the Toyota hybrids will not and are unlikely too unless they cut over 50% of the cost.
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Tim Russell 12:10PM (8/11/2006)
Many enviros don't like it but at current prices full hybrids are going to be niche vehicles. Mild hybrid systems that don't add much to the cost and make a modest increase in fuel economy say 5 MPG have a bright future. The GM mild hybrid system should be able to fit many of their 4 cyl vehicles. If they ramp up and get hundreds of thousands on these on the road the fuel saved will dwarf the amount saved by some of the full hybrids.
Not saying full hybrids are a bad idea it's just at the end of the day fuel saved is fuel saved = less carbon released.
Now if GM would ramp up production and fit this system to as many of their Ecotech engined vehicles as posible ...
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