Euro Carmakers Build Microhybrids

by Jordan Yerman | March 16, 2007 at 11:10 am

329 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

To fall in line with more-stringent EU emissions standards, automakers are working on tech fixes to existing engines as well as hybrid technology. One such tweak, as detailed below, applies the idling feature of hybrids to standard engines. The reasoning is sound and the benefits are enticing, but now it's just a matter of devveloping a quick enough electrical system to handle it.

Idle-start (or stop-start) technology automatically switches off the vehicle's engine as soon as the car comes to a stop, then restarts the engine when the clutch or accelerator pedal is depressed, using software to link sensors and other components. Kessels estimated that adding idle-start technology alongside his algorithmic fix could increase fuel savings by another 5 percent to 6 percent.

"Delivery vehicles spend up to 60 percent of their time idling," Wagener said. "Whenever a microhybrid vehicle stops at a light or a loading zone, the internal combustion engine is shut down. When the driver is ready, it starts up again within milliseconds. Idle-stop can be done for every piston-engine car in the world to good effect."

In a production vehicle, however, it's a nontrivial challenge, Keim said: "It isn't just about software. It requires an electrical machine far more capable than any available today. And the result has to be acceptable to drivers. The restart time has to be faster than the driver's reflexes -- we're talking 200 milliseconds maximum. Your starter today won't do that."

But Ford will have lots of technologies to choose from, Schmidt said. The company has relationships with about 50 universities around the world where researchers are investigating the next small, but significant, engine tweak.