Is there a future for mild hybrids?
Will lithium help sell mild hybrids?
Just a glorified start/stop system?
While Honda was the early bird in the hybrid game, Honda’s hybrids have never been able to compete with Toyota Prius sales, and Honda’s less electric hybrid powertrain is one big reason for this difference.
Likewise, GM’s mild hybrid powertrain was even significantly less successful than Honda’s.
Of course, today, Honda is still selling mild hybrids, while GM is not. Eventually, however, GM will upgrade its mild hybrid powertrain with a new lithium battery pack and a few other tweaks.
Still, will mild hybrids ever be as successful as the Prius? Is there even a business case for mild hybrids?
According to a new report, just after 2012 selling mild hybrids might become more difficult than ever as direct injection and turbocharging become more common and cheaper in conventional vehicles, and as the costs of full hybrid cars, such as the Prius, decline.
Nonetheless, by 2015 there could be a market for up to 1 million mild hybrids worldwide per year – or 2 percent of global sales, the report notes. On the other hand the same research finds that full hybrids will achieve 3 times that sale’s figure.
Thus, it seems mild hybrid vehicles might develop into an interesting niche, but they will never compete with full hybrid cars. Moreover, the sale’s potential of mild hybrids could soon peak, just as full hybrids are projected to make serious gains in new vehicle market share.
I think its crazy that some of the basic fuel saving techniques utilized by the Prius aren’t main-streamed into current automobile production. No need to call it a mild-hybrid, just brag up the fuel savings. Those techniques I refer to are:
1) Automating off vs idle when coasting or stopped
2) Better aerodynamics
3) Lighter weight
Take some basic hyper-miler tricks and incorporate them into “FE” (fuel-efficient) variants on model lines. If the battery system to harvest extra energy is too expensive, heavy and complex, at least make excess fuel consumption (and pollution) easier to avoid.
If they don’t think people will pay money for better technology to save fuel and reduce pollution, then throw in the HOV lane exception so there are other incentives for buying cleaner cars.
If you look into the aerodynamic aspects of the
boxfish, Prius, and Insight, the basics are there for more efficient design. Its no wonder the Honda Insight looks like the Toyota Prius. Physics dictates a lot of the design. Why pay the extra for the battery system and electronic drive? Offer a similar skin with a traditional drive-train at a better price.
I guess my core thought is that rather than make it such a distinct black-white line in terms of hybrid or not, use a gray area like “eco-centric” to highlight a category of traditional fossil fuel vehicles that are focussed on simple engineering of traditional vehicles for those wary of electric/battery vehicles .
GM’s was not even a mild, but a start/stop. In it’s simplest form, all you need is an advanced lead-acid battery at twice cost as a regular, a better starter, and some software. For this, you get 10% savings. Add electric steering an electric A/C and you’ll get even more.
The biggest impediment to getting this on virtually all vehicles is convincing people that starting a warm engine is not bad for it. I can’t even convince my wife of this, because someone told her otherwise 30 years ago, when it probably was true.
GM just need to improve their cars to be able to compete with Honda and other car manufacturers. This is what REPUTATION can give a company a Great Help.
With this collection of advanced fuel efficiency features, hybrids can outperform conventional cars in several arenas. Other Wholesale
I like that eco-centric concept as well. Full hybrids versus mild hybrids, big battery plug-ins versus small battery plug-ins, etc. Whatever.
How about a point of sale tax credit for any car that achieves 50 mpg on the EPA’s city cycle (allowing for some kind of credit for truly green and efficient alternative fuels), and any truck that achieves 35 mpg on the city cycle. Then, at least every 5 years, add 10 mpg.
Ultimately, I’d like to see some real competition between alternative fuels, batteries, composites and any other technologies – and combination of technologies – that can result in real world vehicles that significantly raise fuel economy AND appeal to large numbers of consumers. Let’s create some competition that truly requires innovation. If automakers can’t compete in such a dynamic environment, they aren’t going to survive long term anyway.
i like concept of Hybrid modification as well as the Eco centric concept….further admire about this model entire qualities are well.that is why it performing good in market.the basics are there for more efficient design. Its no wonder the Honda Insight looks like the Toyota Prius.