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Hybrid
technology poised for major revolution?
AutoWeek has
posted a couple of intriguing articles regarding the
future of the technology behind hybrid
cars. First, Drive-by-wire
braking technology could find a home on hybrid vehicles
points to the possibility that one of the hybrid
powertrain's key functions, regenerative braking, could
possibly be significantly improved with drive-by-wire
braking. Steve Brown, director of North America programs
for SKF Automotive Division stated that such a "brake
system would offer better regeneration of the vehicle's
battery than a conventional hydraulic system because it is
electronic."
Second, and even more significant, Japan's
largest battery maker says lithium-ion will be hybrid
battery standard of the future notes that one of the
most critical hybrid components is about to be replaced.
Currently, hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota
Prius or the Ford
Escape hybrid, utilize NiMH, or Nickel-Metal Hydride,
batteries to help power and store energy for their
electric motors.
In the future; however, Lithium-ion batteries will be the
standard and once those batteries become standardized the
potential for significant gains in the fuel economy of
hybrids will truly emerge. Each new generation of battery
technology will become lighter, yet capacity will
increase. This would enable a Toyota
Highlander hybrid, for example, to make the daily
commute of many city drivers utilizing mostly electric
power.
Combined with more efficient regenerative braking, such as
could be offered by drive-by-wire braking, the potential
of what hybrid technology could achieve truly begins to
emerge.
While today's hybrid vehicles can be very fuel efficient,
critics counter that clean diesel can be just as
efficient. While that might be true on the highway, it
isn't true in the city, where a hybrid can simply shut off
its gasoline engine and run on electric power only. Diesel
vehicles must continue to burn fuel.
Still, as clean diesels become more popular, especially in
Europe, the costs of that technology will become cheaper
and that technology could then be utilized to make clean
diesel hybrid vehicles. Such vehicles, combined with
better and better hybrid batteries and other innovations,
such as drive-by-wire breaking, demonstrate that amazingly
efficient automobiles are within grasp as long as
consumers demand them.
Imagine a flex-fuel-clean-diesel-plug-in hybrid vehicle. A
highly fuel efficient vehicle that could use diesel,
biodiesel, or even solar power as its fuel. A vehicle that
could achieve 100 mpg, or even more, at a tiny fraction of
the cost of fuel cells. A vehicle that could be a reality
with just today's technology, while offering even
better performance with tomorrow's technology.
Updated
I have been
sent information from a lithium ion battery maker, A123Systems.
According to their representative they working with the
government on batteries for hybrid electric vehicles.
A123Systems is currently unveiling new Lithium-Ion battery
technology that will significantly increase power, safety
and life.
For example,
A123Systems' batteries could offer 10 times the life and 5
times the power. Obviously, such an improvement could have
a drastic effect on the performance of hybrid vehicles.
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