Hybrid technology poised for major evolution?
AutoWeek has posted a couple of intriguing articles regarding the future of the technology behind hybrid cars. First, Drive-by-wire braking technology could find a home on hybrid vehicles points to the possibility that one of the hybrid powertrain's key functions, regenerative braking, could possibly be significantly improved with drive-by-wire braking. Steve Brown, director of North America programs for SKF Automotive Division stated that such a "brake system would offer better regeneration of the vehicle's battery than a conventional hydraulic system because it is electronic."
Second, and even more significant, Japan's largest battery maker says lithium-ion will be hybrid battery standard of the future notes that one of the most critical hybrid components is about to be replaced. Currently, hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius or the Ford Escape hybrid, utilize NiMH, or Nickel-Metal Hydride, batteries to help power and store energy for their electric motors.
In the future; however, Lithium-ion batteries will be the standard and once those batteries become standardized the potential for significant gains in the fuel economy of hybrids will truly emerge. Each new generation of battery technology will become lighter, yet capacity will increase. This would enable a Toyota Highlander hybrid, for example, to make the daily commute of many city drivers utilizing mostly electric power.
Combined with more efficient regenerative braking, such as could be offered by drive-by-wire braking, the potential of what hybrid technology could achieve truly begins to emerge.
While today's hybrid vehicles can be very fuel efficient, critics counter that clean diesel can be just as efficient. While that might be true on the highway, it isn't true in the city, where a hybrid can simply shut off its gasoline engine and run on electric power only. Diesel vehicles must continue to burn fuel.
Still, as clean diesels become more popular, especially in Europe, the costs of that technology will become cheaper and that technology could then be utilized to make clean diesel hybrid vehicles. Such vehicles, combined with better and better hybrid batteries and other innovations, such as drive-by-wire breaking, demonstrate that amazingly efficient automobiles are within grasp as long as consumers demand them.
Imagine a flex-fuel-clean-diesel-plug-in hybrid vehicle. A highly fuel efficient vehicle that could use diesel, biodiesel, or even solar power as its fuel. A vehicle that could achieve 100 mpg, or even more, at a tiny fraction of the cost of fuel cells. A vehicle that could be a reality with just today's technology, while offering even better performance with tomorrow's technology.
Updated
I was sent an e-mail from A123Systems, a lithium battery maker that is also working with the government on hybrid vehicles. According to their representative, they have developed a lithium-ion battery that will offer 5 times the power of current batteries and 10 times the the life. Obviously, such increases could DRASTICALLY improve the performance of hybrids.
Second, and even more significant, Japan's largest battery maker says lithium-ion will be hybrid battery standard of the future notes that one of the most critical hybrid components is about to be replaced. Currently, hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius or the Ford Escape hybrid, utilize NiMH, or Nickel-Metal Hydride, batteries to help power and store energy for their electric motors.
In the future; however, Lithium-ion batteries will be the standard and once those batteries become standardized the potential for significant gains in the fuel economy of hybrids will truly emerge. Each new generation of battery technology will become lighter, yet capacity will increase. This would enable a Toyota Highlander hybrid, for example, to make the daily commute of many city drivers utilizing mostly electric power.
Combined with more efficient regenerative braking, such as could be offered by drive-by-wire braking, the potential of what hybrid technology could achieve truly begins to emerge.
While today's hybrid vehicles can be very fuel efficient, critics counter that clean diesel can be just as efficient. While that might be true on the highway, it isn't true in the city, where a hybrid can simply shut off its gasoline engine and run on electric power only. Diesel vehicles must continue to burn fuel.
Still, as clean diesels become more popular, especially in Europe, the costs of that technology will become cheaper and that technology could then be utilized to make clean diesel hybrid vehicles. Such vehicles, combined with better and better hybrid batteries and other innovations, such as drive-by-wire breaking, demonstrate that amazingly efficient automobiles are within grasp as long as consumers demand them.
Imagine a flex-fuel-clean-diesel-plug-in hybrid vehicle. A highly fuel efficient vehicle that could use diesel, biodiesel, or even solar power as its fuel. A vehicle that could achieve 100 mpg, or even more, at a tiny fraction of the cost of fuel cells. A vehicle that could be a reality with just today's technology, while offering even better performance with tomorrow's technology.
Updated
I was sent an e-mail from A123Systems, a lithium battery maker that is also working with the government on hybrid vehicles. According to their representative, they have developed a lithium-ion battery that will offer 5 times the power of current batteries and 10 times the the life. Obviously, such increases could DRASTICALLY improve the performance of hybrids.
Labels: clean diesel, electric cars, Escape hybrid, Flex-fuel, Ford, Ford Escape hybrid, fuel cells, Highlander hybrid, Hybrid Vehicles, plug-in hybrids, prius, toyota
posted by Dahcredyns at
10:51 AM
1 Comments:
I wish to tell everyone here that the first modern hybrid prototype was an American car! It was a 1972 Buick Skylark modified by Mr. Victor Wouk, who dies last month. See more at http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/06/hybrid_inventor_1.php
It gave up to 30 MPG.
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