AZD’s next-gen hybrid and EV systems will bring innovations, lower cost
24-Jun-2010 20:45 GMT

AZD’s new technologies being prepared for 2012-13 will leverage learnings gained from developing the electric drivetrain for Ford’s 2011 Transit Connect EV (shown). The vehicle will arrive in the U.S. as a glider from Ford’s Turkey assembly plant, and AZD will upfit the electric driveline in an ex-AM General facility in Livonia, MI.

When they enter production in the 2012-2013 timeframe, Azure Dynamics’ next-generation hybrid and electric propulsion systems will feature new approaches to battery cooling, power control, e-motor design, and systems engineering. The changes are aimed at further reducing the bill of materials and overall cost of the electrified powertrain, as well as improving performance.

“All the programs we’re doing this year basically are engineering programs in which we’re engineering cost out of the system,” said company CEO Scott Harrison. “We’re taking 40% cost out of our Balance hybrid system, but we’re also working on future component and systems designs that will provide greater customer benefits as well as lower cost.”

Azure Dynamics (AZD) currently upfits the Balance hybrid architecture on Ford’s F-450 chassis for a growing list of Class 3-5 commercial fleets including FedEx, Purolator Courier, and AT&T. AZD also is supplying its Force Drive battery-electric drivetrain for Ford’s 2011 Transit Connect EV.

The Force Drive is claimed to provide 80 miles (129 km) electric range per full charge. It features a Siemens drive motor and a new lithium-ion battery pack supplied by JCI-Saft, which in early June took a 3.4% equity stake in AZD. AZD is handling the program’s vehicle integration. Beginning this fall, it will install the electric drivetrain into Transit Connect gliders at a leased AM General facility in Livonia, MI.

New motors and controllers

In an interview with AEI at AZD’s U.S. headquarters near Detroit, Engineering Director Jim Mancuso outlined technical opportunities to improve system efficiency and reduce cost.

“We’re probably in Generation 2 in terms of our current technologies; Gen 3 is about two to 2.5 years away,” he said. “We’re moving to common parts and systems across platforms. Every vehicle we build uses a vehicle control unit (VCU) that is common to an ECM on gasoline-engined vehicles. The technology comes from a partnership we formed with the supplier back in 2004, and the volume has risen to the point where we now see some cost reduction.”

He noted the light-duty Force Drive system uses the same controller hardware as used in AZD’s medium-duty Balance hybrid. Also common among the two platforms are the DC-DC inverters, which are calibrated and wired differently for the vehicle application.

The Siemens motor on the Transit Connect EV is the identical electric machine AZD previously used on a series-type hybrid product.

“It’s all about working with our suppliers to ensure the individual components we’re developing are not going to be used only for an individual product; they’re going to be used across the board on multiple products,” Mancuso said.

“In the case of this particular motor we invested a lot of time in understanding its capabilities within our system. Using it reduces our risk immensely—and reduces the time for our engineering team to integrate it. I’d say we’re pretty good at standardizing hardware,” he asserted.

The Transit Connect EV is AZD’s first series production foray into light-duty systems. Harrison said that while the company’s focus remains on the medium-duty segment, all future product is being developed to cover a broad span of vehicle sizes and applications, in order to build scale.

“That goes for controllers and electric motors,” Mancuso explained. “The next-gen controller will feature newer IGBT (insulated-gate bipolar transistor) technology. It will be physically smaller. In motors, there’s a general trend toward permanent-magnet AC machines and we’ll be there, too.”

The company’s design engineers based in Vancouver and software designers based near Boston are working closely on motor development because the machine’s characteristics impact so much on the control side. Mancuso said AZD is “looking at some new ways to control DC-DC inverters via CAN.”

A clutched FEAD and fast charging

AZD’s incumbent battery pack is liquid-cooled, and company engineers have debated the superiority of both types. Currently they are investigating air cooling because some key suppliers are working on new approaches to air-cooled packs that are expected to be ready “in the next three to four years,” Mancuso said.

He indicated the new air-cooled designs would be integrated with the vehicle’s climate-control system or perhaps use cooling fans.

AZD’s switch to lithium-ion battery cells from the nickel-metal hydride currently used will bring a significant portion of the 40% systems-cost reduction they expect to achieve in the next year, Harrison concedes. But another new feature that Mancuso claims is an “industry first” has him excited about its potential to impact cross-vehicle efficiencies.

The new version of the Balance product adds a clutched front-end accessory drive (FEAD) system, which enables the belt-driven power steering pump, A/C compressor, etc., to be coupled and decoupled alternatively from the electric motor and combustion engine, depending on the vehicle’s drive mode.

“There was a lot of mechanical engineering that went into this system to make it robust; we erred on the ‘high side’ of robustness,” Mancuso explained. “The clutch is a heavy-duty design that we developed with a supplier.”

Without providing specifics, he said adopting the clutched FEAD opens the door for various cost reduction opportunities elsewhere in the vehicle.

Higher system voltage and fast charging are other technology areas Mancuso said AZD is investigating for the next-gen powertrains. He recalled his learnings from an early AZD vehicle built for Purolator that featured a 600-V system.

“I was responsible for that program, and I still can’t believe how the performance increased when we added a ‘boost leg’—an inverter and motor control that raised our voltage from 300 V to 600 V but added very little hardware,” he said. “We’re doing a lot of research on a similar arrangement but not yet committed to it.”

The issue of fast charging in EVs and plug-in hybrids is getting a lot of attention in the industry, but AZD’s customers aren’t yet requesting it, Mancuso noted. “They tell me it’s not yet a necessity for them, but I think two to three years down the road our next generation’s products will have to have that capability. Our battery supplier will have to design around that, and they’re talking about 480 V.”

Lindsay Brooke

Powertrains – Automotive Engineering International Online

New simplified hybrid drive systems from Hyundai, VW, and FEV reduce cost

10-May-2010 21:27 GMT

Hyundai clutch (left) nests in the electric motor and connects to the engine flywheel. When the clutch is engaged, the engine and motor are locked for engine-only or acceleration assist (hybrid) operation. When the clutch is disengaged, the e-motor alone drives the vehicle through the six-speed automatic.

Automakers recognize the need for hybrid-electric powertrains to help meet tightening fuel economy standards, but costs of the full-feature designs currently in production are leading two OEMs to produce less expensive configurations.

Starting later this year, Hyundai and Volkswagen will introduce parallel-hybrid configurations that provide all-electric drive, electric assist, regenerative braking, and idle stop/start. They’ll connect to production automatic transmissions rather than purpose-built transmissions with two integrated motors. Hyundai begins with the front-drive Sonata hybrid; the Kia Optima follows. VW starts with rear-drive Touareg and Porsche Cayenne hybrids.

Also emerging for industry consideration is a prototype by FEV shown at the 2010 SAE World Congress. In FEV’s design, one motor provides all hybrid functions, including A/C compressor operation, in a seven-speed AMT (automated manual transmission).

The acceleration/load electric-assist system with its smaller battery pack is a low-cost design proven by Honda, which calls its system the Integrated Motor Assist or IMA. But the inability to provide all-electric operation limits its effectiveness. And although a two-mode hybrid as developed by Allison, GM, and other makers offers the additionally sought improvement in highway fuel economy, along with the ability to haul payloads and tow, its widespread application is limited by cost.

The Hyundai and VW designs both feature a computer-controlled hybrid clutch between engine and motor—a wet multidisc clutch and 30 kW motor for Hyundai, and a single dry clutch and 38 kW motor for VW.

When the hybrid clutch is disengaged, the motor alone drives through the transmission to power the car in all-electric mode, and both systems launch that way from a stop. When the clutch is engaged and the engine is running, power then flows from engine through motor to transmission. The motor just spins as if part of the flywheel in the Hyundai system; on the VW system, the motor functions as a generator if needed.

If there is the demand, battery current is supplied to the motor for acceleration/load assist. On deceleration, the motor also may operate as a generator for regenerative braking.

Hyundai: 62 mph in EV mode

Hyundai adds a belt-driven high-voltage motor/generator (8 kW) to the 2.4-L four-cylinder, in place of a conventional generator. It provides engine start and charges the 270-volt hybrid battery pack by allowing the engine to run even while the vehicle is moving in all-electric mode.

Compared with the 33 kW and higher generator/motors integrated into other systems, this design appears to be considerably less expensive. However, to enable all hybrid functions with just one motor would require an additional clutch, as in the torque converter of the VW system. Hyundai eliminated the torque converter for packaging and improved efficiency.

Hyundai employs a computer strategy that controls fuel injection for the engine and electric-current feed to the motor to synchronize rpm, for smooth hybrid clutch engagement during the rolling launch, explained Woong-chul Yang, President of the R&D Division of Hyundai-Kia.

A 270-volt pack with lithium-polymer cells is used. Hyundai claims it is the first U.S.-market application for Li-polymer in a non-plug-in hybrid vehicle. It is reportedly intended to give the maker field experience with this type. Combined with the belt-drive generator/starter, the pack apparently enables more all-electric operation while an optimized charging schedule is maintained.

Conventional hybrids typically increase only city fuel economy compared with non-hybrid versions, with the two-mode system being the price-premium exception. However, Hyundai uses the 30 kW motor to drive the car through the six-speed automatic at speeds up to 62 mph (100 km/h). This helps boost hybrid highway fuel economy from the 35 mpg of the conventional Sonata to a claimed 39 mpg.

Hybrid clutch is key to VW’s system

VW made only modest modifications (primarily an electric oil pump and new torque converter) to the eight-speed automatic used in the conventional Touareg. The entire hybrid module fits into the space between engine and transmission without modifying the vehicles. A 288-volt Ni-MH battery pack is used.

Although the VW design allows all-electric operation at up to 36 mph (60 km/h), the Touareg/Cayenne still must satisfy customers expecting V8 levels of torque. So the 3.0-L V6 is supercharged, rated at 329 hp and 326 lb·ft (245 kW and 440 N·m, respectively), with a tow capacity of 7700 lb (3493 kg).

The tow requirement dictated use of a torque converter, so VW took advantage of its lockup clutch to permit the single motor/generator to also perform the start function.

From a stop, the vehicle launches in electric drive with the motor/generator—hybrid clutch disengaged and the torque converter lockup clutch closed. The lockup clutch then is control-slipped, the hybrid clutch is engaged, and the motor cranks the engine.

At suffciently high rpm, fuel is injected and the engine starts. The hybrid clutch is released so the engine can rev without load to a computer-requested setpoint to match the speed of the motor/generator, at which the hybrid clutch (and lockup clutch) then can be engaged. It’s all instantaneously smooth, according to VW engineers.

When the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator at cruising speed, the computer stops the engine and de-energizes the motor, and the vehicle coasts freely to boost highway mileage, noted Dr. Bernd Stiebels, VW hybrid powertrains manager. Fuel economy numbers have not yet been announced.

Because the engine is supercharged, VW’s hybrid requires a more complex cooling system. Motor electronics and charge-air cooler are in one circuit with an electric pump and two small radiators.

The engine and transmission, electric motor, and passenger compartment heater are in another circuit with a large radiator. This circuit includes an electric pump and, to speed warm-up, a vacuum-controlled blocking cover for the engine mechanical water pump, to inhibit coolant circulation through the crankcase.

FEV’s 7H-AMT concept

Conventional AMTs typically have been limited to vehicles where smooth shifting isn’t a priority. But FEV’s one-motor 7H-AMT provides fill-in torque when the electro-hydraulic shifters make gear changes, which eliminates the lurching effect typical in AMTs. Four gears are direct; three are overall ratios from gear pairs.

The FEV prototype has a single dry clutch between the engine and transmission; its electric motor is located on the transmission. With the clutch engaged, the vehicle can operate entirely with the engine or in electric assist; or with the clutch disengaged, it operates in all-electric mode.

The transmission is a three-shaft design, with a 35 kW electric motor on one shaft, simplifying use of the motor to torque-manage shifts. Further, if the vehicle is running entirely on the gasoline engine and the battery pack needs recharging, the motor of course just operates as a generator.

The engine is started by controlled slip of the clutch and computer modulation of motor torque. As the vehicle launches entirely on electric power, the engine will start with the transmission engaged as high as fifth gear. The 7H-AMT permits all-electric operation at speeds as high as 42 mph (70 km/h).

The idle-stop A/C compressor operation is a cost-saving bonus. The 7H-AMT has a belt-driven conventional compressor with a magnetic clutch, which can be engaged to operate with engine power or hybrid motor power. This eliminates the need for the comparatively expensive electric motor-drive compressor.

Paul Weissler

Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne Parallel full hybrid technology from Bosch goes into series production · Launch of first full hybrid vehicles with parallel technology · Intelligent drive control system provides key to extraordinary comfort · Bosch-made power electronics, electric motor, and adaptive clutch The hybrid variants of the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne S, which recently went into production, feature hybrid technology supplied by Bosch. This is the first time that either of these models has been available as a parallel full hybrid. As well as key components such as the power electronics and electric motor, Bosch is also providing the “brain” of the vehicles in the form of the Motronic control unit for hybrid vehicles, which governs when the electric motor, internal-combustion engine, or a combination of the two kick into action. Volkswagen and Porsche both chose to equip their hybrid vehicles with a 3.0-liter V6 supercharged direct-injection engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The six-cylinder V-engine delivers 245 kilowatts (333 horsepower) and a maximum torque of 440 Newton meters starting from 3,000 rpm. The vehicle also features an Integrated Motor Generator (IMG) developed by Bosch. The water-cooled electric motor includes a separate clutch.

The hybrid module is positioned between the internal-combustion engine and the transmission, taking up impressively little space thanks to a diameter of 30 centimeters and a length of just 145 millimeters. The IMG delivers 34 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 300 Newton meters. That means the Volkswagen and the Porsche can cruise at a maximum of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour running on electric power alone, as long as the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery has enough charge. The battery has an energy capacity of 1.7 kilowatt-hours with a peak of 288 volts. During braking, the electric motor – now operating as a generator – recovers kinetic energy, which is then stored in the high-voltage battery. Lifting off the throttle at any speed up to around 160 kilometers per hour activates what the engineers refer to as ‘sailing’ mode: the combustion engine automatically shuts down and the vehicle coasts along without consuming fuel – obviously without sacrificing any of the functionality of the systems required for a safe and comfortable drive. Braking is also a fully automatic process, with the hybrid control unit monitoring the pressure on the brake pedal to determine what brake torque should be electrically set by the IMG. This does not affect safety systems such as ABS and ESP®, which take precedence whatever the situation. ‘Power boost’ from the electric motor For drivers in a hurry, the electric motor and the combustion engine can also work in tandem, allowing the Volkswagen and the Porsche to sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.5 seconds. This ‘power boost’ function increases the vehicle’s performance to 279 kilowatts (380 horsepower), offering the driver a maximum torque of 580 Newton meters. Compared to the first-generation V8 vehicles, these hybrid vehicles cut fuel consumption by up to 40 percent. EU cycle fuel consumption falls to 8.2 liters per 100 kilometers, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 193 grams per kilometer. Both vehicles also comply with the Euro 5 standard and the U.S. emissions standard ULEV 2.

Intelligent control system provides key to extraordinary comfort The fact that the internal combustion engine and the electric motor work together so seamlessly stems from the perfectly tuned interaction between modern management and control technology and optimized hybrid components. Bosch can draw on many years of experience in this field thanks to its work on developing gasoline injection systems. “The hybrid control unit injects a healthy dose of innovation into the best field-proven technology. We based the system on the Motronic, which has already proved its worth in so many direct injection gasoline vehicles. We then integrated the additional functions you need for hybrid operation, which we developed in collaboration with our customers,” says Matthias Küsell, who heads up development and customer projects for hybrid and electric vehicles at Bosch. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring a smooth transition between electric-powered, hybrid, and combustion engine-powered driving. It was essential to ensure that driving comfort would not be impaired by the switch between drive and generator operation. This is achieved by giving the control unit continuous access to sensor data from the combustion engine, electric motor, battery, clutch, and other components. It uses this data to analyze and control how the two powertrains interact in real time, using an adaptive clutch to make seamless transitions.

The control unit ensures that the electric motor and engine are turning at exactly the same speed when transferring the torque. Küsell sees this as the core element of the parallel hybrid technology. Hybrid and direct injection engines – the perfect combination The supercharged V6 engine is a key part of the overall concept. The Motronic control unit manages the combustion engine with tremendous precision, right down to the rate of individual injections. It employs an additional CAN bus interface to exchange all relevant data with the hybrid components, power electronics, and battery, and the efficient direct injection system also reduces exhaust emissions. The combustion engine and electric motor complement each other perfectly, enabling parallel hybrids to offer a whole series of new features to improve driving comfort. Active Damp Control is the name Bosch chose for the concept that provides the six-cylinder engine with the sedan-like feel of a much larger engine. In the future, this concept is set to iron out some typical disadvantages of smaller turbocharged engines such as poor low-end torque, paving the way for highly economical downsizing concepts to enter the mass market. Optimized components offer inroads into mass market Parallel full hybrid technology can be implemented as a more cost-effective solution in comparison to other hybrid concepts. For example, it requires just one electric motor, which operates as both a motor and a generator. To enable broader application of this environmentally friendly technology in different classes of vehicle, Bosch is engaged in a continuous process of developing the system on a component level, tackling issues such as reducing the volume of space taken up by the power electronics. Despite having to maintain a tricky balance between robust design, maximum efficiency, and minimal space requirements, the developers have now succeeded in reducing the volume of the power electronics by one third to ten liters – without compromising performance. “Our aim is to get the next-generation version down to five liters,” Küsell says. The power electronics are a core component, providing an interface between the high-voltage electric drive and the vehicle’s 12-volt electrical system, and featuring an inverter that converts the direct current from the battery into three-phase alternating current for the electric motor, and vice versa.

· Cost-optimized sensor for basic ESP® functions

· Signal processing in the system control unit

· Variable design provides wide scope of applications

Bosch has extended its steering-angle sensor offering to include a new cost-effective model. The LWS6 meets all standard requirements of today’s safety and comfort systems, and is therefore especially suitable for ESP® applications in compact class vehicles and classes further down the scale. The signals from the LWS6 can also be used, however, for systems such as electro-hydraulic power steering or ACC adaptive cruise control. The sensor recently went into series production.

Steering-angle sensors measure the steering wheel’s actual position, the value which an increasing number of systems use to determine the direction the driver wants the vehicle to take. The new LWS6 measures relatively over an unlimited measuring range. Its typical steering-angle signal resolution is 1.5 degrees. The LWS5 steering-angle sensor, which is based on GMR (giant magneto resistance) technology, measures absolutely. The LWS6 steering-angle sensor, by contrast, uses the Hall effect. For this purpose, a multipole magnet is fixed to the steering column. Hall elements detect changes in the sensor’s magnetic field without contacts and without gear wheels. As two or more Hall elements are used, any rotary motion generates square-wave signals, which show a certain phase shift relative to each other. These square-wave signals are transmitted directly to the control unit, thus ruling out any need for evaluation logic in the LWS6. Processing of the sensor signals is done by the system control unit, which calculates the position, rotation direction, and rotation speed of the steering wheel.

The control unit also validates the sensor output signals and detects short-circuits, for example. Moreover, due to the incremental measuring principle of the LWS6, it no longer has to be calibrated by the automakers. Thanks to the new concept used in the LWS6, Bosch has reduced the cost, not only of the sensor, but also of the system as a whole – and has therefore also made a further contribution to achieving the goal of “safety for everyone”.

As there is no mechanical link between the Hall measuring elements and the magnetic hub, the sensor is wear-free. Unlike optical sensors, the magnetic measuring principle makes the LWS6 resistant to contaminants, such as dust, which find their way into the housing over the course of the device’s service life. As with the LWS5, the LWS6 does not require stand-by current when the vehicle is parked. Customer-specific designs offer extensive adaptation options for a variable steering column installation or integration into the switch unit. The new Bosch sensor has been developed in accordance with current environmental requirements and is made of lead-free components.

Robert Bosch GmbH – Automotive Equipment

BMW plans 3- and 5-series full hybrids.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) — BMW AG plans to take its 5-series ActiveHybrid concept into production as early as next year and expects to introduce the dual-powertrain technology into its smaller 3 series.

“As early as next year, the new BMW 5 series will also be available as a full hybrid. And we are anticipating the hybridization of further models series, such as the 3 series,” CEO Norbert Reithofer told shareholders at the carmaker’s annual meeting in Munich.

As emission standards become ever stricter, BMW needs to lower the carbon footprint of its fleet in coming years as Brussels targets an overall level of around 95 grams of carbon dioxide by 2020 for new cars sold in Europe.

“We want to reduce our global fleet’s carbon emissions by at least another 25 percent between 2008 and 2020,” Reithofer said.

At the end of last year, BMW’s European fleet emissions equated to 150 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, down from 156g at the end of 2008.

First shown at the Geneva auto show in March, the 5-series hybrid can be driven entirely in electric mode — like the Toyota Prius — after the sedan’s brakes recuperate enough kinetic energy initially generated by its petrol engine.

This would be BMW’s second full hybrid on offer after the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 launched at the end of last year.

By comparison, the larger BMW ActiveHybrid 7 luxury sedan that went on sale this spring is a mild hybrid, meaning it cannot run on zero-emission electric propulsion alone.

Reithofer pointed to government incentives for hybrids as a key driver of demand, particularly in Japan. “Sales of hybrid vehicles (there) have skyrocketed. If you don’t have a hybrid in your portfolio, soon you might not be selling any cars in Japan at all,” he said

Read more: http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100518/ANE/305189984/1193#ixzz0oOE53X7b

Honda Worldwide | January 27, 2010 “Honda Begins Operation of New Solar Hydrogen Station”

TORRANCE, Calif, U.S.A., January 27, 2010 – Honda began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Honda’s Next Generation Solar Hydrogen Station Prototype

Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user’s garage, Honda’s next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.

The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyzer and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure electrolyzer, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor entirely – a world’s first for a home use system. This innovation also reduces the size of other key components to make the new station the world’s most compact system, while improving system efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar hydrogen station system it replaces.
Compatible with a “Smart Grid” energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO₂ emissions by using less expensive off-peak electrical power. During daytime peak power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining energy neutral.
Designed for simple, user-friendly operation, the intuitive system layout enables the user to easily lift and remove the fuel hose, with no hose coiling when the hose is returned to the dispenser unit.
Engineered for an 8-hour, slow fill for overnight refilling of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the home-use Solar Hydrogen Station would replenish the hydrogen for a typical daily driving, meeting the commuting requirements of many drivers. As with the previous generation system, the hydrogen purity from the new station meets the highest SAE (J2719) and ISO (14687) specifications.
Installed at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, the new Solar Hydrogen Station will employ the same 48-panel, 6.0kW solar array that powered the previous system. The array utilizes thin film solar cells composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) produced by Honda Soltec Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda that was established for the mass production and sales of solar cells capable of efficient renewable electricity generation. Honda’s unique solar cells reduce the amount of CO₂ generated during production as compared to conventional solar cells.
Designed to support the needs of the future owners of fuel cell electric vehicles, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station was also designed to complement a public network of fast fill hydrogen stations. The Honda FCX Clarity electric vehicle is fast fill capable and offers an EPA-estimated driving range of 240 miles. With fast fill public stations providing 5-minute fueling time for longer trips, and the opportunity of convenient nighttime slow filling at home using a solar station with a Smart Grid connection, the Honda FCX Clarity can cover a wide range of driving demands from the daily commute to weekend trips.
A key strategy in creating a solar hydrogen station for home-use was to create a new lifestyle with convenient, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable home refueling, by addressing the need for refueling infrastructure that can advance the wider use of fuel cell electric vehicles by consumers.
The combination of a fuel cell electric vehicle and the solar hydrogen station could help lead to the establishment of a hydrogen society based on renewable energy, resulting in a major reduction of CO₂ emissions and greater energy sustainability.
Honda began operation of its first Solar Hydrogen Station at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas in 2001:
July 2001: 3-unit system with hydrogen storage begins operation.

• October 2003: new 2-unit system with an original Honda electrolyzer and a new solar array utilizing prototype Honda CIGS solar cells offers improved system efficiency.

• August 2008: solar array fitted with mass production CIGS cells from Honda Soltec Co., reducing the size of the array by 20% and further improving photo voltaic (PV) energy efficiency.

• January 2010: new single-unit station begins operation, improving to world’s best system efficiency – increasing the efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the previous solar hydrogen station system, for a world’s highest system efficiency.

Increasing engine efficiency | News Analysis | The Engineer

Turbocharger recovers energy from engine gas. An active flow turbocharger being developed at Imperial College by Ricardo Martinez-Botas is designed to make better use of wasted exhaust-gas energy from an internal combustion engine.

If that energy could be recovered, the efficiency of the engine would be significantly increased.

’A normal turbocharger takes some of this energy that would otherwise be wasted to the atmosphere, but not all of it,’ he explained. ’The turbocharger is designed for a steady-state operation, whereas the exhaust gases increase and decrease at the rate of the engine reciprocation. The idea is to oscillate the turbocharger’s variable geometry and synchronise it with the engine exhaust to get better energy recovery from the pulsating exhaust flow.’

It uses a fast actuated nozzle to follow the exhaust pulse, reducing the turbine inlet area periodically to increase exhaust-gas pressure.
The potential for increasing engine efficiency is substantial and even greater when coupled with advances in internal combustion engines.

’We are going to see ever smaller engines in cars as we move towards low-carbon vehicles,’ he said. ’These are going to be downsized engines, with a one-litre engine giving the same performance as a two-litre engine using current technology, or perhaps a five-litre engine could be reduced to 1.9 litres. But the key thing is the driver experience and response should be the same.’

Patents have already been applied for and Martinez-Botas has just received a significant grant from EPSRC/TSB to support a detailed feasibility study on a prototype. ’We believe the path for commercialisation of this technology will be through licensing it to an engine developer or a turbocharger developer, and they will then manufacture and implement the technology,’ he said. ’We’ve already carried out testing and simulations, but the key issue now is how to implement it in an engine.’

He is already talking to potential partners, but they have all come back with similar questions in relation to material limitations, reliability and fatigue failure. ’It has been recognised as a sound idea and the grant from EPSRC/TSB will provide the bridge funding for us to test its reliability in use,’ he said.

Bosch recently developed a new, technically sophisticated touch-screen head unit measuring 8 inches (20 cm) on the diagonal that will be first introduced onto the market in the new Jaguar XJ. In addition to the operating logic of the human-machine interface, it also includes resource management for the infotainment system, i.e. it controls the information and entertainment media in the vehicle. Another new feature is the Dual View display, which makes it possible to show different information on the same screen for the driver and the front-seat passenger: the driver has the navigation map in full view while driving and at the same time the front-seat passenger can enjoy a video film or scroll through an iPod playlist.

The special thing about the central touch-screen head unit in the Jaguar XJ is the way in which it interoperates with other vehicle systems and functions. As the most usual choice in this class of vehicle, the integration of the systems is based on a central MOST network (Media Oriented System Transport) and the CAN bus (Controller Area Network). Acting as a high-performance workload manager, the resource management feature integrated into the head unit provides for utmost clarity on the screen and makes it possible to prioritize the screen contents according to the current situation. This helps to relieve the strain on the driver and provides for greater safety and enhanced driving convenience. The navigation menu will appear, for example, to accompany the output of driving recommendations. Any other display information will be suppressed during that time, with the exception of incoming phone calls, which are displayed immediately and route guidance for navigation is temporarily shifted into the background.

The head unit recently developed by the Bosch Car Multimedia division is equipped with a high-resolution color touch screen (800×480 pixels), allowing the driver to control the radio and navigation system just as easily as the telephone or air conditioning by simply touching the screen. Thanks to the particularly user-friendly human-machine interface, both the driver and the front-seat passenger will learn how to use the touch screen very quickly and intuitively. The new Jaguar XJ has also been equipped with a so-called media hub, which allows the user to connect an MP3 player, an iPod or a USB stick to the infotainment system. All these devices can be controlled by the central head unit from Bosch, just like the separate hard disk, which has plenty of room to hold all the user’s favorite music files.

One screen for two programs
The Bosch Dual View display is an option that brings added functionality into the new Jaguar XJ. It can show two different programs where there used to be only one, on a single monitor. This means that the front-seat passenger doesn’t necessarily have to follow along with the navigation recommendations; he or she can choose a different entertainment program – i.e. watch video films, look at the playlist for the iPod or at the radio menu. If desired, a cordless headset delivers the sound.

In April 2010, Bosch produced its 50 millionth DV-E electric throttle device at its Nuremberg plant. The unit regulates the air supply in the gasoline engine’s intake tract. It consists of a throttle device with an electric drive and an angle sensor. On the basis of the accelerator position, the engine control unit calculates the required opening of the throttle valve, the ignition angle, and the injection amount. A DC motor adjusts the throttle-valve shaft via a gearing unit, and in this way meters the air volume. By precisely metering air volume, the DV-E controls the torque level delivered by the engine, and thus engine power. At the same time, it also plays a role in air-fuel mixture preparation for economical and low-CO2 combustion.

Condition for safety and driver assistance systems
The DV-E also creates the condition for safety and driver assistance systems that require a reduction or increase in engine power in specific driving situations, such as traction control, ESP®, or ACC adaptive cruise control. The throttle can be used to reduce engine power, for example, so that the traction control system can prevent the wheels from spinning, or to increase or reduce engine power so that ACC can keep the vehicle at a constant distance from the vehicle ahead. The Bosch DV-E is one of the lightest aluminium throttle devices on the market, and no other device takes up less space. Its low power consumption is also particularly impressive. Available in diameters between 32 and 82 millimetres, it can be used in almost all engine and displacement classes. In diesel engines, the electrically regulated control valve (RKL-E) is a similar device, controlling both the air supply and exhaust-gas recirculation.

This component’s history began in 1986 with production of the DV-E1 in the Bosch plant in Bühl, Germany. Then, in 1989, the DV-E3 for 12-cylinder Mercedes-Benz models was produced at the Nuremberg plant. As calls for reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions became louder, demand for these Bosch components also increased. Following start of production in 1997, the DV-E5 reached annual production figures of more than 3.5 million units. The RKL-E for diesel engines went into series production in 2003. Production of this component was also given a massive boost by the trend toward high-torque and economical diesel engines.

Global production
To this day, more DV-E5 devices have been made than any other throttle device. It is manufactured at five Bosch sites worldwide. The international manufacturing network includes sites in the U.S., Brazil, China, South Korea, and Germany. After the first applications in Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, and Fiat vehicles, nearly all carmakers around the world now use Bosch throttle devices.

Robert Bosch GmbH – Automotive Equipment

Bosch predictive emergency braking system goes into series production

· Environment recognition with radar and video sensors

· Of all the accidents involving injury and fatalities in Germany, 15 percent are rear-end collisions

The Bosch automatic emergency braking system is going into series production for the first time. It provides effective support for drivers in critical situations in which there is the threat of a rear-end collision. “Roughly 80 percent of drivers do not hit the brakes at all before a rear-end collision, or do not use the car’s full braking capacity,” says Dr. Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division, summarizing an analysis of GIDAS, the German accident database. The Bosch system helps drivers to react properly. The technical basis of this system is the ESP® electronic stability program and the LRR3 long-range radar sensors of the ACC adaptive cruise control system, which are complemented by a video sensor. The functions now feature for the first time in the new Audi A8, as part of the “pre-sense” package.

Sensor data fusion for the best possible recognition of the traffic situation
Of all the accidents involving injury and fatalities in Germany, 15 percent are rear-end collisions. Predictive systems that interpret the state of the traffic ahead of the vehicle, warn drivers, support them, and finally react automatically can help to significantly reduce the number of such accidents. The earlier and the more precisely the situation in front of the vehicle can be interpreted, the better the driver assistance functions can help the driver. Bosch engineers have thus made an interplay of radar and video data possible, for optimum recognition of traffic situations. Apart from the high-performance Bosch ESP®premium brake control system, the Audi A8 features two long-range radar sensors, which are housed at the left and right of the front bumper. These new Bosch generation 3 sensors can detect objects within a beam width of approximately 40 degrees at a distance of up to 250 meters, and can determine their position and speed. The video camera is positioned behind the front windshield, at the same height as the rear-view mirror. The advantage of video technology is the high level of information content, which makes persons, vehicles, or traffic signs easy to identify. Another benefit is the technology’s ability to set off one image against another, as well as the angle detection of objects. The radar signals, for their part, deliver precise data as to the position and speed of the persons, vehicles, or traffic signs featured in the video images.

Warn, support, intervene
In a first step, if the predictive emergency braking system detects a potential obstacle, such as a vehicle that is slowing down very fast or coming to a standstill, the brake is primed for the emergency braking that may follow. This involves the brake control system imperceptibly building up slight pressure, which brings the brake pads up close to the discs, so that they can provide immediate deceleration in the event of a subsequent braking operation. If the driver does not react, and the vehicle comes closer, an acoustic warning is given, followed by automatic partial braking, initiated via a brief jerk on the brakes. If the driver still does not react, and if a collision can no longer be prevented, the system brakes automatically at maximum pressure roughly half a second before impact, in order to reduce speed of impact and mitigate the consequences of the accident.

The ACC function has also been extended. With the help of the video data for example, the system reacts more quickly when overtaking other vehicles and when other cars veer into the lane ahead. Moreover, in the new Audi, the signals from the Bosch video camera are used for the automatic headlight control and for the lane departure warning system. Additional functions in the ESP® provide further comfort and safety features. The hill-hold control, for example, can prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards on an incline. When towing, ESP® detects whether a trailer is weaving dangerously, and helps the driver to counteract.

Many other systems and components in the new A8 are also made by Bosch: there is the instrument cluster with its large color display, the control unit and sensors for the passenger restraint system, a domain control unit, the starter, and the wiper drive. For the gasoline engines of the new A8, Bosch supplies various engine control units, and the two initially available diesel engines use Bosch injection systems with piezo valves and injection pressure of up to 2,000 bar.

Robert Bosch GmbH – Automotive Equipment