Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > News > MIRA debuts "Plugless Plug-In Hybrid" prototype

April 25th, 2008

MIRA debuts "Plugless Plug-In Hybrid" prototype

Abstract:
MIRA (aka Motor Industry Research Association) has unveiled a retro-fit hybrid conversion with the potential to save 61% on a petrol vehicle's fuel costs and lower tailpipe emissions by 39%. The ‘H4V' hybrid conversion with a removable, 22Kg lithium-ion phosphate battery pack is shown in a technology demonstrator built around a Skoda Fabia with funding from the Energy Saving Trust's Low Carbon R&D programme.

Derek Charters, MIRA's Advanced Powertrain Manager says: "With this project we've removed the primary limitation of the "plug-in hybrid" concept by allowing the battery pack to come to the mains, rather than having to park right next to a socket ... which is more than a little difficult if you live in a terraced house or flat."

He explains further: "MIRA's hybrid vision is to lower tailpipe emissions and deliver better fuel efficiency than an equivalent diesel, at a diesel-level on-cost." (Of circa £2,000, assuming optimized production on a commercial scale.) MIRA plans to apply the lessons learned in the development of this concept demonstrator to other, more commercially-oriented hybrid projects which will lead to new hybrid models in the next year or two.

The 50/50 hybrid derives power jointly from the Fabia's 60Kw petrol engine and two 35KW inboard motors powering the FWD car's rear wheels though MIRA's ‘e-differential'. The control system provides for pure electric driving in the city, moving to series hybrid operation ‘in the suburbs' and parallel hybrid operation in cruising conditions.

Overall, the H4V returns 64mpg, as measured on the EU drive cycle, a 61% improvement compared to the standard petrol model's 39 mpg. Top speed and acceleration are similar to the standard petrol car's. (The Skoda Fabia 70hp 1.4-litre diesel version does a combined cycle 58.9 mpg, while the 1.4-litre Fabia Greenline version achieves nearly 69 mpg, slightly more than the H4V prototype.)

The H4V's battery pack is configured as three portable cassettes, each capable of storing 30KW. These storage units could also power external devices, which could include camping equipment, or to power electric jet skis or quad bikes. They take about 30 minutes to take a full charge, and can power the H4V in electric-only mode for up to about 15 miles. The pack's 22Kg weight is expected to reduce when readied for series production.

MIRA has applied nanotechnology to increase the energy density of the lithium ion phosphate batteries, which do not suffer the propensity to catch fire on impact of standard lithium-ion battery packs. The same li-ion phosphate battery technology is deployed in a separate low voltage circuit used to start the engine.

Source:
autoindustry.co.uk

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Automotive/Transportation

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

New designs for solid-state electrolytes may soon revolutionize the battery industry: Scientists achieve monumental improvements in lithium-metal-chloride solid-state electrolytes November 3rd, 2023

Previously unknown pathway to batteries with high energy, low cost and long life: Newly discovered reaction mechanism overcomes rapid performance decline in lithium-sulfur batteries September 8th, 2023

Tests find no free-standing nanotubes released from tire tread wear September 8th, 2023

Battery Technology/Capacitors/Generators/Piezoelectrics/Thermoelectrics/Energy storage

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Discovery of new Li ion conductor unlocks new direction for sustainable batteries: University of Liverpool researchers have discovered a new solid material that rapidly conducts lithium ions February 16th, 2024

A battery’s hopping ions remember where they’ve been: Seen in atomic detail, the seemingly smooth flow of ions through a battery’s electrolyte is surprisingly complicated February 16th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project