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Lotus and Fagor Ederlan Group to produce range-extender engine

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Lotus

Lotus Evora 414E Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Lotus Engineering has reached an agreement with the Spanish Fagor Ederlan Group to develop and produce a small engine for use as a range extender in electric vehicles - a system similar to that found in the Chevrolet Volt. Lotus first showed its 1.2-liter inline-three engine at the Geneva Motor Show in the Evora 414E and Proton Emas concepts.

Both cars used a similar series hybrid powertrain architecture, where an electric motor provides the drive torque while the engine only drives a generator to sustain the battery after the plug-in charge has been depleted.

Because this new engine is designed specifically for use as a range extender rather than a primary power source, Lotus has been able to optimize the efficiency and reduce the weight. An adapted off-the-shelf engine like the one in the Volt is still designed to hold accessories like the alternator, air-conditioning compressor and power steering pump. Lotus has left out these structures for a lower cost and mass.

Lotus and Fagor Ederlan will take the 47 horsepower engine to production and offer it up to any automaker that wants to build an extended range electric vehicle, but no production timing or customers have been announced yet.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus and Fagor Ederlan Group to produce range-extender engine

Lotus and Fagor Ederlan Group to produce range-extender engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next-gen Volt could use diesel, two-cylinder or rotary range extender

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in 2006 when the Chevrolet Volt was first conceived, its extended-range electric (ER-EV) powertrain was originally dubbed E-Flex as its configuration was designed to be flexible. The only part of the system that was constant was the electric drive and the presence of a battery. The architecture was designed so any type of powerplant could be used as a range extender, and over the last three years concepts have been shown with flex-fuel three-cylinder turbos, inline-four diesels and hydrogen fuel cells.

Ultimately, powertrain chief engineer Larry Nitz and his team opted for a normally aspirated 1.4-liter inline-four for the first generation Volt because it offered the best combination of cost and efficiency. However, while working on the first generation Volt, work on the second-gen. model has been happening in parallel. Way back in May 2007 we talked to then-VP for R&D Larry Burns about using an HCCI engine for the Volt since it could be optimized to operate at steady state speeds and he agreed that was certainly one possible direction.

Right now the top priority for the second-generation Volt is driving down the cost of the powertrain, including the battery. Although automakers are always reluctant to talk about parts pricing, GM's project management VP, Jon Laukner, has hinted on more than one occasion that the Volt pack costs somewhere in the $600 per kilowatt-hour range or under $10,000 for the 16 kWh unit. The goal is to get that cost down below $400 per kWh in the next few years and a combination of increased volumes and LG Chem launching cell production in western Michigan will certainly help to achieve that.

Reducing the cost of the range extender will also play a part. GM's VP of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke told Inside Line that smaller range extenders in the 15-18 kilowatt range are part of the strategy and either a two-cylinder piston engine or a single rotor Wankel are possibilities to replace the current inline-four. Volt communications manager Rob Peterson confirmed to Autoblog that a number of different variants are being evaluated, but he wouldn't say if any particular direction has been selected yet.

Powertrain engineering consultant FEV has recently been showing off an ER-EV Fiat 500 with a Wankel range extender. While Wankels are not known for fuel efficiency (quite the opposite actually), a modern direct injected unit for this type of application could be highly optimized to provide acceptable performance and consumption. A Wankel also has the advantage of being both very compact for its output and vibration-free, making it well suited for this type of application. With the first generation Volt only expected to have about a three-year life-span, a final decision will likely be made very soon.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Inside Line, General Motors]

Next-gen Volt could use diesel, two-cylinder or rotary range extender originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: Audi A1 e-tron is extended-range EV with Wankel rotary generator

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Audi, Electric

2011 Audi A1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi still hasn't released any images of its new electric A1 e-tron concept, but it has revealed some details of the car. Unlike the two previous e-tron sports car concepts that were both pure battery electric models, this one is a range-extended EV. Like the Chevrolet Volt, the A1 e-tron uses a smaller battery pack that allows it to go up to 31 miles on a single charge with no emissions.

Once the battery is depleted, an internal combustion engine kicks in to drive a 15-kilowatt generator and keep the A1 going. However, unlike the Volt or Fisker Karma, the A1 is using a single-rotor Wankel engine to drive the generator. While Wankels are not renowned for their fuel efficiency (much the opposite in fact), in this application it could work well thanks to its high power density.

The range with the Wankel running is bumped up by another 124 miles to a total of 155. With only a 15kW generator available to sustain the battery, it will be interesting to see how much performance is degraded in that mode. Audi claims the A1 e-tron achieves 123.8 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the draft EU standard for ER-EVs. We should have more details tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Gallery: 2011 Audi A1

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: Audi A1 e-tron is extended-range EV with Wankel rotary generator

Geneva Preview: Audi A1 e-tron is extended-range EV with Wankel rotary generator originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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