HYBRID HIGHWAY
Tech no longer fad-fuelled
A word association game with most gearheads will go like this: you say “hybrid,” they say “Toyota.”
Understandable, as the Japanese company builds the world’s bestselling hybrid car — as of April of this year, 3.7 million Prius models have been sold — and the company counts no less than seven hybrid models in its 2016 Canadian stable.
What might surprise is that it was German automakers that started the hybrid ball rolling. Way back in 1901 Ferdinand Porsche built the world’s first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Lohner-Porsche; and in the 1990s BMW committed plenty of Deutsche marks in the R&D of the 5 Series CVT hybrid-electric.
But it was the first-gen Toyota Prius in 1997, followed two years later by the Honda Insight, which began the near two-decade march of this money-saving powertrain technology.
For not only do hybrid vehicles get better fuel economy than their comparable ICE (internal combustion engine) counterparts, but their brakes and transmissions last much longer too. In fact, the lessened wear and tear of these mechanical parts, and not the fuel savings, is why Vancouver cabbies favour hybrid vehicles. As Province Tuesday Trucking columnist John G. Stirling is fond of saying, “if my wheels ain’t turning, I ain’t earning,” and taxi drivers too need to keep their cab on the road, not in the shop. Hence their affinity for hybrid vehicles.
Today, hybrids are not the odd ducks they were at the turn of the century, and the relative newcomer to the category, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), is becoming more common too.
That said, hybrid vehicle sales have slipped a little in the past year as oil prices collapsed, with truck and SUV sales putting grins on dealer salespeople across British Columbia.
Despite the higher profit margin on these bigger vehicles, most manufacturers are fully invested in hybrid and electric vehicles, with their Research and Development departments continuing to find better, more efficient ways to keep your wheels turning.
Here’s a look at three recent stories involving these evolving technologies.
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF
Take the Tesla Model S out of the equation, and the Nissan Leaf is the bestselling all-electric vehicle in the world.
The Japanese automaker committed early to EV technology, but that hasn’t stopped it from developing an exciting new PHEV.
During Nissan’s recent annual meeting, CEO Carlos Ghosn said the company will introduce two new technologies this year. First, an autonomous driving system called ProPilot; and, second, a plug-in hybrid powertrain, called e-Power, will find its way into a production model.
The e-Power system debuted in the Gripz compact crossover concept revealed at last year’s Frankfurt auto show, so expectations are the new Nissan PHEV will be based on that concept.
“This new electric vehicle will meet consumer demand for greater autonomy and fuel efficiency,” Ghosn said. “It will utilize a new e-Power system that matches the agility, quietness, strong acceleration and efficiency of the Nissan Leaf.”
24 HOURS OF HYDROGEN?
Hybrid technology is nothing new to the track — current Formula One cars use a slick hybrid turbo engine — but at the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans, history was made when a hydrogen fuel cell race car turned a lap at the fabled circuit for the first time ever.
Former F1 hot shoe Olivier Panis piloted the Green GT H2 around the track during a break in qualifying, and again before the green flag on race day.
“Acceleration is linear and power seems to be unlimited,” Panis enthused. “You press the accelerator and the power arrives in smooth, consistent, increasing quantities. The electric-hydrogen generator behaves like a very well-tuned engine.”
Two hydrogen fuel cells are located on each side of the driver’s cockpit, and a threeminute refuelling time delivers 40 minutes of driving. Total output is 544 horsepower — but with a massive 2,950 pounds-feet of torque.
With the historic appearance and successful running of the vehicle, Le Mans organizers are exploring the possibility for hydrogen-powered prototypes to enter endurance racing in the very near future.
PRIMED FOR PRIUS PRIME
Toyota has upped the hybrid ante once again with the coming Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid featuring the automaker’s first dual motor drive system.
Expected to be in B.C. showrooms by the end of the year, the 2017 model boasts a larger battery pack than the previous Prius PHEV and an optional 11.6inch multimedia display that will make a Tesla Model S jealous.
And though not yet confirmed for the North American market, the Japanese and European models, named the Prius PHV, will have a solar panel roof for charging up the lithium-ion bat- tery pack when the sun is shining. That’s not revolutionary, as the third-gen Prius had an optional solar roof, but it only powered the ventilation fan when the car was parked. When the new car is being driven, the solar panels will also supply power to accessories such as air conditioning, power windows and interior lights.
The Prime’s solar panels stretch nearly the entire length of the roof, and according to Toyota can boost efficiency by as much as 10 per cent.
What’s holding up installing the panels on North American models are safety standards. Toyota hasn’t been able to laminate the photovoltaic cells in a resin that won’t shatter during a rollover crash. The panels do meet safety standards in Japan and Europe.
“We would like to introduce this, at least in the lifetime of the current model,” the Prime’s chief engineer said at the car’s Japan debut. “It should be possible to do a lot of charging this way in places like California or Arizona.”
And in Vancouver, at least during the summer.