Called the Land_e, this technology concept from Land Rover is designed to showcase a suite of hybrid
technologies that reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while staying true to Land Rover’s go-anywhere 4×4
mission.
With the “e” standing for efficiency, the Land_e is roughly the size of the current
Freelander, and has a biodiesel/electric hybrid powertrain with a very intelligent powertrain management system that
provides multiple modes of operation, ranging from front-wheel drive highway cruising to full on “rock
crawler” 4WD.
Ford says we can expect to see the e-Terrain technologies progressively introduced in the
Land Rover product line over the next few years.
More pics and a full description of the e-Terrain Technology
Concept after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Press Release:
LAND_E, LAND
ROVER’S E-TERRAIN TECHNOLOGY CONCEPT SHOWCASES NEW ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
Land_e, Land Rover’s e-Terrain
Technology Concept
* Innovative application of environmental and efficient
technologies that enhance both on- and off-road performance
* Real world solutions that will be
available on Land Rovers progressively in the next few years
* Potential for 30 per cent
improvement in fuel economy
* New technologies could reduce emissions to an approximate 150g/km
CO2 (on a vehicle similar in size to a Freelander)
Land Rover is showcasing a catalogue of innovative
technologies – collectively known as the e-Terrain System – that reduce both fuel consumption and CO2
emissions while also improving the outstanding breadth of capability of Land Rover’s 4×4 vehicles.
The
efficient technology initiatives are all illustrated by Land_e, Land Rover’s e-Terrain Technology Concept. Together,
they contribute to a potential 30 per cent improvement in fuel economy over a current vehicle of similar size and
performance. And most of the technologies will be available on Land Rover production models starting in the next few
years.
The key to Land_e’s importance is that it shows available and relevant technologies – plus some
new systems that are unique to Land Rover – in the most innovative and effective way possible. It combines
mechanical and electrical advances to make gains in areas ranging from transmission function to cooling efficiency, and
from battery power management to power steering efficiency – all without compromising the breadth of on- and off-road
capability that defines all Land Rover products.
“The e-Terrain technologies are practical, feasible,
real-world solutions,” says Matthew Taylor, managing director of Land Rover. “In every case, they preserve
– and in most cases improve – our breadth of capability. We are not prepared to dilute the essence of Land
Rover. But we are committed to improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions.”
Over the past nine
years, Land Rover’s cross-range emissions output has fallen by 13 per cent, compared with the motor
industry’s overall average improvement of 9.7 per cent. Indeed, the Freelander Td4 diesel’s CO2 emissions
compare with many hot hatches, and the seven-seater Discovery 3 TDV6 has CO2 emissions to match many saloons.
Furthermore, the CO2 emissions from the latest 2006 Range Rover V8 have been improved by 11 per cent over those of the
outgoing 2005 model.
In addition, more than 90 per cent of all Land Rover vehicles currently sold in Europe
are diesel powered, combining the versatility of a 4×4 with the economy of a typical family car.
But the
Company is committed to going much further. While adhering to Land Rover’s core abilities as versatile,
all-terrain vehicles, the Land_e technologies target a sub 150g/km CO2 figure which equates to a combined fuel economy
figure approaching 50mpg or 5.65L/100km – in a vehicle similar in size to the current Freelander. Such CO2
emissions levels are comparable with a typical petrol B segment or diesel C segment car, representing an almost 30 per
cent improvement on today’s figures.
The technologies that Land_e showcases are:
* Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive
* ISG Integrated
Starter-Generator
* Innovative Propshaft with Seamless Re-connect
*
Terrain Response e-Mode
* Bio-diesel capability
* ITP Intelligent
Thermal Programme
* EPAS Electric Power Assisted Steering
* IMES
Intelligent Management of Electrical Systems
Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive : provides electric drive
alone at low speed, plus improved 4×4 ability in tough conditions
Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive
– used in conjunction with the ISG Integrated Starter-Generator system (as described below) – improves both urban
emissions and off-road ability.
Land Rover’s unique electric drive is different from the hybrid
technology used by some 4×4 rivals. They use electric drive only to the rear axle, significantly reducing off-road
capability. Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive enhances off-road performance by augmenting rather than replacing the
mechanical drive.
Off-road, the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive system can provide additional torque, as
required. And because electric power can offer maximum torque from standstill, it is most effective from virtually zero
mph/kph. This offers better low-speed control and enhanced pull-away in difficult situations – such as on
slippery surfaces or when towing.
On-road, the additional low-speed torque input from the Integrated
Electric Rear Axle Drive offers multiple advantages. It allows electric-powered ‘traffic creep’ and low-speed
acceleration up to 20mph or 32kph, without restarting the engine, benefiting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Whenever required, the ISG system restarts the engine, and the vehicle is then propelled by a combination of electrical
and conventional engine power. The combined effect of delaying the restarting of the engine plus the continued
assistance of electric drive, significantly reduces fuel consumption.
When quicker acceleration is required,
the engine can be restarted immediately, so both the conventional engine and the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive
system supply power from rest. In this case, the electric torque boost provided by the Integrated Electric Rear Axle
Drive significantly improves acceleration without adversely affecting either fuel consumption or CO2 emissions.
The additional low-speed electric torque boost not only gives extra off-road ability, it also improves
efficiency by using stored energy from the additional high-voltage battery system. Completely separate from the normal
12-volt battery system, this is a high capacity lithium-ion battery pack which is charged by regenerative braking
energy.
The regenerative braking puts otherwise wasted braking energy back into the high-voltage storage
battery system. When slowing the vehicle, pressing the brake pedal causes the driveshafts and propshaft to transfer
energy from the wheels to the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive system, decelerating the vehicle and transferring the
‘braking’ energy to the storage battery. For harder braking and for emergency stops, the conventional braking system is
retained and fully operational, working in conjunction with the regenerative braking function.
ISG
Integrated Starter-Generator system improves emissions in traffic
One of the simplest yet most effective CO2
-reducing features highlighted on the Land_e is the ISG Integrated Starter-Generator. The ISG package replaces the
conventional alternator and continues to take its drive from the normal ancillary belt. It is a
‘micro-hybrid’ system that allows the engine to be stopped automatically whenever the vehicle stops, as in
traffic, and under the control of the ECU it restarts the engine quickly and smoothly when required. The engine does
not idle unnecessarily when the vehicle is stationary, to the further benefit of both fuel economy and CO2
emissions.
Together the engine stop-start function of ISG, plus the regenerative braking function, provided
by the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive offer the potential of a 20 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions. The
outstanding multi-terrain ability that is at the core of Land Rover is also enhanced.
Propshaft with
Seamless Re-connect enhances driving experience, and improves economy
Seamless re-connect is a system that
significantly reduces fuel consumption by cutting mechanical losses. Drive to the rear wheels is automatically
disconnected when conditions allow, such as cruising on a dry surface. Yet unlike hybrid and selectable 4×4 systems,
there is instant access to Land Rover’s full range of four-wheel drive abilities. The Propshaft with Seamless
Re-connect allows the Propshaft and rear drive components to come to rest, avoiding unnecessary rotational losses.
When rear drive is required – when, for instance, the system detects slippery conditions – the
system reconnects the rear axle automatically and virtually instantaneously. The system not only re-engages full 4×4
much faster than rivals, it also offers much better 4×4 capability when connected. Re-engaging drive seamlessly also
has safety benefits. It does not affect the car’s dynamic balance in the same way as a slower and less
progressive re-connection.
The technology also reinforces Land Rover’s fundamental principle to
‘Tread Lightly’. By ensuring that front and rear wheel speeds are correctly matched, and with the
additional control of the Integrated Electric Rear Axle drive, the drive layout virtually eliminates wheel slippage,
which in turn reduces soft-surface damage – for instance on grass.
The ISG Integrated
Starter-Generator, Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive and the Seamless Re-connect propshaft are fully compatible with
all Land Rover engine and transmission options, and could be adapted for any model and any market.
Terrain
Response e-Mode, for improved fuel economy in town
Land_e shows six Terrain Response modes:
The
e-Mode is shown for the first time and focuses principally on on-road use. This configures all the vehicle’s
e-terrain systems for optimised fuel economy. It always retains instantaneous access to Land Rover’s four-wheel drive
capability but adopts soft throttle responses, and delivers early shift points.
The other five modes are
already available on some Land Rover products – General Driving; Sand; Mud and Ruts; Grass, Gravel and Snow; and
Rock Crawl. In the Land_e, all use combinations of normal engine and Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive. In all
off-road modes, the engine is never shut down, even if the vehicle is stationary.
In Sand mode, primary
power is supplied by the engine; the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive system monitors torque to detect either
wheelspin or bogging-down, and intervenes as necessary, either to stop tyre slip or to provide additional torque to
deal with soft, deep sand.
In Mud and Ruts mode, primary power is again supplied by the engine, while
additional torque is available from the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive system for heavier mud or deeper ruts.
In Grass, Gravel and Snow mode, control is more important than power, so engine power is fed in only once the
vehicle is underway. Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive is used for driving away without wheelspin even on very
slippery surfaces – by constantly monitoring torque and intervening rapidly to prevent tyre slip. In this mode,
the Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive can respond to wheelspin even more quickly than the engine management, and can
cancel the initial slippage within one-eighth of a wheel rotation – a critical figure that is small enough to
regain grip and prevent permanent damage even on wet grass. No other system achieves this.
In Rock Crawl
mode, speeds are typically below 5mph/8kph. Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive now provides the primary power source,
boosted as necessary by normal engine torque. In all cases, the great advantage of Integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive
is that an electric motor offers maximum torque at the lowest wheel speeds, for the ideal mix of power with control.
Bio-diesel moves towards a lower carbon fuel
An increasing emphasis on diesel power is clearly
important to overall CO2 reductions, and bio-diesel capability extends the potential advantages. Bio-diesel is a fuel
derived from renewable and sustainable sources, such as natural oils from soya beans or other easily cultivated
vegetable or cereal crops. It is currently commercially available as a blend of bio-derived diesel and
petroleum-derived diesel, in varying proportions, and bio-diesel offers reduced emissions compared with
petroleum-derived diesel.
Currently, a five per cent bio-derived content is typical with forecourt diesel.
Potentially, a vehicle could operate on a 25 per cent bio-diesel mix, which is a realistic goal within a few years, and
one supported by the oil industry and governments. A vehicle running on 25 per cent bio-diesel mix could potentially
reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 25 per cent. Next generation bio-fuels made from crop wastes are also being
developed, and these will deliver even greater CO2 reductions, as well as being more sustainable.
Other
important technologies can make a difference
Beyond the efficiency-enhancing drivetrain technology, the
Land_e showcases other fuel saving technologies.
The ITP Intelligent Thermal Programme controls engine
parameters including exhaust heat management and cooling system function. Through heat exchangers, the EHRS (Exhaust
Heat Recovery System) utilises what is normally wasted heat from the exhaust system to promote faster engine and
gearbox warm-up from cold, with several advantages. In a production application, ITP could also control Active Aero
Vanes, which would allow specific sections of the radiator aperture to be closed under certain operating conditions.
That would reduce high-drag airflow through the radiator core and engine bay when cooling air is not needed – for
instance at low ambient temperatures and when running in low-load conditions. The vanes would also be closed during
engine warm-up, again to ensure that the engine reaches optimum operating temperature as quickly as possible. Faster
engine and catalyst warm-up significantly reduces emissions in the first minutes after a cold start, and by bringing
engine and gearbox oils up to operating temperature more quickly, it reduces mechanical frictional losses.
An electronically controlled thermostat and cooling circuit give far more accurate control of coolant temperature
than a conventional system, allowing the engine to run closer to its optimum temperature. The system also incorporates
an electric water pump, which, unlike the conventional belt-driven water pump, is driven only on demand, and at
variable speeds, avoiding inefficient and unnecessary overspeed running. Mechanical energy savings, optimum temperature
control and fast warm-up from start offer the potential for additional CO2 emissions benefits.
Significant
benefits are also possible with the use of electric power steering technology, EPAS (Electric Power Assisted Steering).
EPAS completely eliminates the pumped hydraulic assistance of a conventional system and powers the steering rack
directly, by electric servo motor. That eliminates pumping power losses, including the significant losses when the pump
is being driven at high speed even though assistance is not required, again offering a noticeable CO2 benefit compared
to a belt-driven hydraulic system. The higher-voltage electrical supply made possible by ISG also allows the
possibility of more powerful assistance for more demanding use – on off-road terrain, for example.
All
electrical system functions are controlled by IMES (Intelligent Management of Electrical Systems), with further
efficiency gains. It incorporates a closed-loop system that monitors battery charge, vehicle electrical system demands,
and generator speed and load. It uses the monitored data to ensure that the whole electrical system operates in the most
efficient way. It charges the battery only when it needs it, avoiding the over-charging associated with
‘non-intelligent’ systems, and unless it is absolutely necessary, it avoids charging the battery when it is
in ‘low-acceptance’ states – such as cold ambient conditions, below around 10 degrees C. It also
regulates high electrical loads until the alternator is operating at high efficiency, which gives a further reduction
in CO2 emissions.