Photo: Ricardo
Ricardo, the British consultancy and engineering company, has announced the development of an advanced hybrid system that can be installed on multiple car models.
Ricardo’s proposed hybrid system is a 48-Volt unit, and has been designed from the start to be compatible with various fuel systems and platforms.
Any vehicle that installs it is expected to receive a reduction of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of up to 15%. The difference is not negligible, and should be sufficient to turn the car into an ultra-low-emission vehicle if it was already fuel efficient.
The Brits at Ricardo fitted the new system, which took over two years to develop in its current form, to a Ford Focus 1.5-liter TDCi. The car has been used as a mobile laboratory by the engineering specialists, and the model received a fuel consumption reduction of 10 to 12 percent.
Meanwhile, emissions were rated at 88 grams/kilometer, which is 11 grams less than the standard model and small enough to rank the vehicle in sub-80 grams CO2/km class of the NEDC cycle.
Each gram of CO2 saved per kilometer has a cost or approximately 80 euros, which means the system of the Ford Focus 1.5 TDCi presented above would be close to 880 euros (approx. $980). The last figure is an estimate made by autoevolution, and not an accurate value from Ricardo.
When opposed to the development costs of a traditional hybrid, Ricardo explained that its system is “very competitive,” and that costs are significantly reduced.
According to Ricardo, the efficiency of the system could enable automakers to make almost all models “comfortably fall below” the requirements of Euro 6b emissions limits, without spending money on a dedicated solution for each design and powertrain. The adaptability of this 48-Volt hybrid system is the genius behind the solution.
The 48-Volt system from Ricardo was created under the “Adept” program, partly funded by the UK Government to encourage the rise of electrified powertrains. The solution focuses on affordable and simple hybrid options for multiple kinds of automobiles. This emphasis on simplicity and low prices included focusing on lead-acid batteries instead of lithium-ion solutions.
Ricardo officials has not announced which automaker will be the first to implement the solution, but company representatives have confirmed that they are in talks with multiple brands. The system is expected to reach production by the end of the decade.
Any vehicle that installs it is expected to receive a reduction of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of up to 15%. The difference is not negligible, and should be sufficient to turn the car into an ultra-low-emission vehicle if it was already fuel efficient.
The Brits at Ricardo fitted the new system, which took over two years to develop in its current form, to a Ford Focus 1.5-liter TDCi. The car has been used as a mobile laboratory by the engineering specialists, and the model received a fuel consumption reduction of 10 to 12 percent.
Meanwhile, emissions were rated at 88 grams/kilometer, which is 11 grams less than the standard model and small enough to rank the vehicle in sub-80 grams CO2/km class of the NEDC cycle.
Each gram of CO2 saved per kilometer has a cost or approximately 80 euros, which means the system of the Ford Focus 1.5 TDCi presented above would be close to 880 euros (approx. $980). The last figure is an estimate made by autoevolution, and not an accurate value from Ricardo.
When opposed to the development costs of a traditional hybrid, Ricardo explained that its system is “very competitive,” and that costs are significantly reduced.
According to Ricardo, the efficiency of the system could enable automakers to make almost all models “comfortably fall below” the requirements of Euro 6b emissions limits, without spending money on a dedicated solution for each design and powertrain. The adaptability of this 48-Volt hybrid system is the genius behind the solution.
The 48-Volt system from Ricardo was created under the “Adept” program, partly funded by the UK Government to encourage the rise of electrified powertrains. The solution focuses on affordable and simple hybrid options for multiple kinds of automobiles. This emphasis on simplicity and low prices included focusing on lead-acid batteries instead of lithium-ion solutions.
Ricardo officials has not announced which automaker will be the first to implement the solution, but company representatives have confirmed that they are in talks with multiple brands. The system is expected to reach production by the end of the decade.
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