The Future of The Hybrid Vehicle
Electric Motors instead of a Transmission?
Volvo has come up with a revolutionary new plug-in hybrid that could possibly get 160 miles from a gallon a gas. The concept is to replace the transmission with electric motors in each wheel. This hybrid auto, the ReCharge, is equipped with independent small electric motors in each wheel, which according to experts, eliminates lost to the drivetrain.
What are the advantages?
What is the advantage to putting electric motors directly inside the wheels? The electric motors eliminate the transmission which results in a 10% to 20& savings in the engine’s energy. The electric motors contain a disc that is mounted to the wheel bearings and contains electromagnets that emit a magnetic field when electric current passes through it. Around this is an outer ring that contains permanent magnets. When you step on the gas (accelerator) a computer rapidly switches the polarity of the electromagnets. The faster the polarity changes the faster the wheels spin.
What are the Challenges Facing This New Concept?
The four electric motors in the wheels are completely independent. The challenge is to be able to keep all four wheel electric motors in synchronization. Otherwise, just one wheel spinning out of sync could cause loss of control of the vehicle. The next hurdle to this alternative fuel solution is developing the software that controls the velocity of all four motor wheels.
The Lithium Battery
The ReCharge uses a lithium-polymer battery that is safer than other batteries by using sheets of plastic instead of a electrolyte solution that is considered volatile. Another benefit of using this battery is it will power the car for 60 miles before the engine kicks in to recharge the battery. Lithium batteries are smaller and are now showing up in other technological gadgets such as the iphone.
To complement the battery the concept calls for either a flex-fuel or turbodiesel engine. However, a fuel cell or second battery could also do the job. Also included in the hybrid concept is a charger that feeds power to the vehicle when it is plugged in.
Interestingly enough, tires must be as thin as possible since space is need to house the electric wheel motors. In addition, the tires should be a soft resilient surface that reduces rolling resistance.
It’s an exciting time for the alternative fuel and hybrid enthusiasts. There is real momentum building and the competition in the auto industry is fierce.