SAE Congress '08: Raser shows off ER-EV powertrain for trucks, demos in Q3
We got a chance to sort of check out the Raser Technologies series hybrid/extended range EV powertrain at the SAE Congress in Detroit this week. I say sort of because what is on display are some bits and pieces that display the layout of the components in the system. Raser is currently working with an un-named vehicle manufacturer and FEV to implement the system into a full-size SUV. I spoke with Dr. Jochem Wolschendorf, CTO of FEV, about the program. According to Dr. Wolschendorf, Raser is producing the electric motors and generators for the system while FEV is handling the systems integration in the vehicle as well as the control algorithm and software development.
Raser and FEV plan to have the first prototype vehicle ready to demonstrate in the third quarter of this year installed in a full-size SUV. The standard V-8 engine in the SUV will be replaced with a smaller four cylinder engine whose sole purpose will be to drive a 100kW generator. The engine/generator will be used to charge a 27kWh Electrovaya lithium polymer battery pack when its state of charge gets too low. As with GM's E-Flex system, there is to be no mechanical connection between the internal combustion engine and the wheels. When fully charged off the grid, that pack is expected to provide up to forty miles of electric only driving range for the SUV and FEV's simulations indicate that on a mix of driving cycles, such a vehicle should be able to average somewhere around 100mpg. We'll have to wait until sometime in the second half of this year to find out what company Raser and FEV are working with and how well this thing really works. Raser does have a contract to supply two such SUVs to PG&E for their test fleet sometime toward the end of 2008.
Gallery: SAE Congress 08: Raser/FEV PHEV
[Source: FEV]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cervus 12:35PM (4/16/2008)
A full-sized SUV that gets 100mpg would certainly blow the mind of a lot of people here. I hope they succeed and the tech can be quickly adopted by the likes of the Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition/Explorer, etc.
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Tim 12:57PM (4/16/2008)
#1: "A full-sized SUV that gets 100mpg would certainly blow the mind of a lot of people here."
YES, but it's useless if it costs over $30K.
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rar 1:00PM (4/16/2008)
Tim, what full size suv can you buy now that is under 30k?
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KarenRei 3:43PM (4/16/2008)
It's not useless if it costs over $30k if it lets you own an SUV without paying an arm and a leg for gasoline. Your average SUV owner, with current prices, probably pays $4k in gasoline a year. Replace that with a couple hundred in electricity per year... if the pack has a long lifespan and the vehicle is under $50k it's a fairly easy economic argument to make. If they can sell it for $40k, it'd be a no brainer -- a $10-15k premium in order to save $3.5k or so per year? Of course people would go for that.
If this came out, I'd bet I could convince my parents to get one the next time they need a new car, so long as it has all of the normal SUV creature comforts, seats a small army, and affects the proper artificial sense of safety. They have money, but they're responsible investors. They don't get SUVs because they want to pollute or anything; they get SUVs because they like them. If the long-term economics is clearly better for an electric SUV, all else being equal, they'll get that one.
People like my parents are probably this company's target market.
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Bill 5:22PM (4/16/2008)
27 kWh battery pack...if you have to ask, you can't afford it. :)
Anybody working on a system like this for commercial tractor-trailers?
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Kevin Nugent 7:27PM (4/16/2008)
Well i would be astonished if I DID NOT THIN OF THAT MYSELF . lIKE seriously i wonder if i am smart or just innovative , i have been saying this for so long now and finally somebody in this freaking world is making this a reality . It has the same infrastructure as the volt except with more perks . i think all us manufacturers should adopt this but nooo they continue to want us to burn as much petrol as we can .
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T Moynier 3:26PM (8/23/2008)
Here's Raser Technologies' website:
www.rasertech.com
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