EALABC opens the door to low cost hybrid electric vehicle
The European arm of the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (EALABC), in collaboration with several automotive technology partners, has successfully developed advanced lead-acid battery technology that can open the door to lower cost hybrid electric vehicles.
Two recent projects have already produced impressive results in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Last year at the UK’s Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle 2011 event in Rockingham, the EALABC and its partners unveiled its Hyboost demonstration vehicle. In March a new Low Cost Super Hybrid is scheduled to make its world debut at the 82nd Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.
The Hyboost vehicle was the result of a collaboration between the EALABC, automotive engineering pioneer Ricardo, Valeo, Controlled Power Technologies, Ford Motor Company and London’s Imperial College to use proven, cost-effective technologies to build a 1.0 litre hybrid engine and powertrain that could perform at the same level (or better than) a conventional 2.0 litre system.
The HyBoost demonstration vehicle, a retrofitted 2.0 litre Ford Focus, displayed impressive test results in comparison with the standard 2.0 litre Focus, showing a 39 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions without loss of vehicle performance.
As a result of the HyBoost’s success, the EALABC and Controlled Power Technologies commissioned German automotive technology specialists AVL Schrick to convert a 1.4 litre Volkswagen Passat TSI with a similar system to attempt improved fuel efficiency with optimal performance at lower cost.
The resulting Low Cost Super Hybrid performed even better than expected, achieving a seven per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared with the already fuel efficient Passat. In comparison with the 2.0 litre Volvo S40 the Low Cost Super Hybrid, clearly outperformed and still improved upon carbon dioxide emissions by 26 per cent.
The ALABC commented: “Now that the EALABC and its partners have shown what can be accomplished with low-cost lead-acid battery technology and state-of-the-art vehicle performance systems, the potential for revolutionizing the consumer Hybrid market is closer than ever before.”
