Hybrid vehicles may have a future in Europe, but they are likely to be “mild hybrids” rather than vehicles such as the Toyota Prius.
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Despite Europe’s diesel bias, industry executives believe mild hybrids could make economic sense given tight EU emissions targets.
Meanwhile, several suppliers are playing a key role in their development.
Valeo is launching its belt-driven starter-alternator with brake energy regeneration on a 2004 PSA model.
The starter-alternator generates electricity and can act as a starter motor and crank the engine to much higher revolutions.
Valeo says the unit also enables “Stop-and-Go” operation that switches off the engine during idle, providing up to 10% fuel savings.
ZF Sachs is working on its Dyna-Start starter alternator that will debut on a Volvo model this year. Continental is developing its integrated starter alternator damper (ISAD) technology.
Bosch and Siemens VDO are also working on components for hybrid systems.
The products are based in part on the development of 42 volt systems – but for now are being made to work with 14 volt systems.
Price will be crucial to acceptance, suppliers say. The target price for the total system – electrical hardware, controls, electronics and the energy store – is about € 600 in high volume, according to Continental Automotive Systems.
Ninety percent of the potential regenerated energy can be achieved with a 15kW electrical machine, says Wolfgang Ziebart, head of Continental Automotive Systems.
Above that he says, “the weight grows faster than the added value.”
“A mild hybrid with a performance of between 10-20 kW is the right solution for a medium-sized car,” Ziebart says. “At that level there is a very good cost benefit relationship.”
Suppliers estimate that such a system could save about €800 in fuel costs over the life of the vehicle.
Ziebart says a diesel hybrid would be most effective concept.
“At the moment, the diesel hybrid combination is certainly the alternative drive with the lowest fuel consumption,” he says.
A full hybrid using an electric motor with performance of more than 40 kW “is definitely an expensive concept,” he says.
Ziebart says that the concept was developed mainly to meet Californian zero emission vehicle (ZEV) targets. He says the greatest cost benefit is achieved with a smaller, mild hybrid.
The European industry has to make major gains in fuel economy to reach its 140g of CO2 per 100km emission targets for 2008 – let alone the 120g target for the next decade.
To introduce mild hybrid models by 2006 – and meet the 2008 target – carmakers will need to have prototypes running this year.
Ziebart says there is a danger, though. If the European industry focuses too much on fuel consumption, and the targets are not rolled out in other countries, he says, “we could marginalise ourselves.”
SupplierBusiness.com
