Volvo Introduces Plug-in Concept

Volvo Cars is introducing the Volvo ReCharge Concept, a serial plug-in hybrid  with four electric wheel motors based on the Volvo C30, at the Frankfort Auto Show, September 13 - 23, 2007.

The car can be driven about 62 miles (100 kilometres) on battery power before the car's four-cylinder Flexifuel engine kicks in to power the car and recharge the battery.

The September 6 press release goes on to say:

"A certain proportion of electrical vehicles will be necessary to meet the CO2 emission demands of the future. Since the Volvo ReCharge Concept combines an excellent battery range with a backup combustion engine, it is a very interesting concept," said Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

When driving on electric power only, operating costs are expected to be about 80 percent lower than that of a comparable petrol-powered car. When driving beyond the 100 km battery range, fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 5.5 litres per 100 km depending on the distance driven using the engine.

"This plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66 percent lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today. Emissions may be even lower if most of the electricity in intended markets comes from CO2-friendly sources such as biogas, hydropower and nuclear power," said Jonsson.

An electric motor at each wheel

The Volvo ReCharge Concept combines a number of the latest technological innovations into a so-called "series hybrid" where there is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.

• The battery pack integrated into the luggage compartment uses lithium-polymer battery technology. The batteries are intended to have a useful life beyond that of the car itself.
• Four electric motors, one at each wheel, provide independent traction power.
• Four-cylinder 1.6-litre Flexifuel engine drives an advanced generator that efficiently powers the wheel motors when the battery is depleted.

The driver can choose the power source

The combustion engine starts up automatically when 70 percent of the battery power has been used up. However, the driver also has the option of controlling the four-cylinder Flexifuel engine manually via a button in the instrument panel.

Specially developed electric motors

The central electrical components in the Volvo ReCharge Concept demonstrator - the generator for the APU and the wheel motors - were developed together with British electromagnetic specialists PML Flightlink.

With an individual electric motor at each wheel, weight distribution as well as mechanical efficiency and traction are maximized. The friction in mechanical gears is eliminated. Since the car does not have the transmission found in ordinary cars, there is no need for a gear lever.

To help maximize the environmental benefits, the Volvo ReCharge Concept has high-efficiency tires developed by Michelin. They are specially designed to accommodate the wheelmotors.

Further more, the car has All Wheel Drive in the truest sense of the term. Power to each wheel is controlled individually.

The energy that is generated during braking is transmitted to the battery pack. When the system is ultimately developed, traditional wheel brakes will be completely replaced by electrical brakes with minimal energy wasted through friction.

To ensure reliable operation of the drivetrain and braking system, driver inputs are fed into a quadruple-redundant electronic control system.

Ecologically sound solution for commuters

The Volvo ReCharge Concept is best suited to car drivers who cover moderate distances every day. For example, a commuter who has less than 100 kilometres (62 miles) to drive between home and workplace can cover the entire round trip on electric power alone and the equivalent daily fuel economy will be zero litres per 100 km.

Even drivers who cover more than the battery-only range will benefit from the ReCharge Concept. For a 150 km (93 mile) drive starting with a full charge, the car will require less than 2.8 litres of fuel, giving the car an effective fuel economy of 1.9 l/100km (124 mpg).

"The only requirement is that the car owner has access to electrical outlets at convenient places, such as at home or at the workplace. A full recharge takes 3 hours. However, even a one-hour quick charge should provide enough charge to drive about 50 kilometres," says Jonsson.

Comments

[Mouseplatterman]

Looks great! When?? How much $$??

[donb]

When the system is ultimately developed, traditional wheel brakes will be completely replaced by electrical brakes with minimal energy wasted through friction.

I wonder about this. This would require that the wheel motors (and the drive electronics) be able to generate enough reverse torque to (potentially) lock the wheels. This would require some fairly hefty drive motors, meaning fairly hefty unsprung weight in the wheels, which would compromise handling and add cost. In addition, continuous power would have to be sent to the motors to hold the car stationary while stopped on a hill.

Some sort of friction brake will still be needed to hold the car in position while parked on a hill.

[GreyFlcn]

Heh, well the car companies have to toss some monkey wrench in there to make it impractical ;D

They got sunk costs elsewhere.

[Hmmm]

Does anybody know about handing with a motor in each wheel? I read elsewhere that the increase in unsprung weight would have a severely detrimental effect on handling. But of course that was from a vendor promoting using a single motor to power a vehicle...

[NICK GR]

THESE ARE THE MOTORS http://www.pmlflightlink.com/motors/hipa_drive.html

[John V.]

DonB,
Some electric motors don't have to be moving to provide stopping power. It is not reverse torq that does it. I had a 10 KW permanent magnet wind generator back in the 80's and 90's and you could stop the 23ft turbine nearly INSTANTLY (that's alot of mass to stop turning) by shorting the 3 phases together. If you left the shorting jumper wires in the box installed, you had to fold the tail over to the side on the turbine/generator to prevent the blades from being broken by the wind (bent backward, breaking the backbone of the blade so to speak) There was also an electronic rpm limiter built into the synchronous inverter that would electrically prevent the turbine from overspeeding over 350 rpm. That control essentially added resistance to the field windings, preventing current flow at the higher rpms and having a braking action on the spinning turbine.
In a word and with proper controls, permanent magnet electric motors can be essentially LOCKED UP SOLIDLY so there would be no need to have a friction brake at all, not even an "E" type brake like today's cars have.

[JohnBo]

This car sounds great. The motors can do the braking, even on a hillside. We are seeing a revolution in automobile technology. I believe the turning point where the average person (like me) can have a plug in EV is near. What fun it is to live at this time. The future looks great.

[Nathan]

There are com disadvantages on the unspring weight issue. This said most people don't know how to drive any modern car even close to it's potential. There is however a definate advantage to having a true independent drive system for each wheel. The increase in a turning moment of enertia and the unsprung weight could be outweighed by the added flexability of a well designed traction control system. (the drive system can now help with yaw)

[JD]

Oops, they plan on using LiPo batteries: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/09/hybrids-killer-.html

Maybe they'll install a halon system, or at least leave a fire extinguisher so the occupants have a chance in case of rear-end collision.

[usjustice]

www.pmlflightlink.com copied original wheel motor of US patent and manufactured in China for so many years ago, if you check their Hi-Pa drive within ep.espacenet.com has no patent. Right now, they copied once again at SAE 2004 expo is against US patents.

We contacted with Volvo and Ford since their board of directors meeting on May 12, 2004 they played double-hand strategy, try to pull us down to chapter 7, 7&11, and 13, then they can buy out on liquidation.

Pray for God's righteousness, fairness and justice to help G1 Technology Inc fighting with old foxes and blood suckers.

[Jesse]

HOW MUCH???$$$$$$$$