The 48 VoltHybrid can not only drive economically, but also be fun. At least that is what the automotive supplier Schaeffler now wants to prove with a technology prototype based on the Audi TT. The study “High Performance 48 Volt” celebrates its premiere at the Aachen Colloquium Vehicle and Engine Technology.
The heart of the sports car is a 48-volt on-board system with a suitable generator and a 20 kW / 27 PS electric motor supplied by it. Unlike previous 48-volt studies by Schaeffler, this is not located next to the combustion engine on the front axle, but at the rear, where it provides up to 2.000 Nm of torque for thrust when starting and supports the combustion engine when accelerating. The electric motor can also drive the Audi on its own up to a speed of 35 km / h. Thanks to active torque distribution between the wheels, the system should also ensure particularly agile cornering behavior.
The prototype that has now been presented is the latest from a whole series of 48-volt studies by Schaeffler. Most recently, together with Continental and Ford, the company presented a particularly economical variant of this technology for compact cars, which, with the help of electrical support, should consume up to 25 percent less fuel than a conventionally powered vehicle.
48-Volt hybrid systems are considered a relatively low-cost solution for reducing fuel consumption. Compared to normal hybrid and electric cars, the batteries are small and the operating voltages low, which also eliminates the need for expensive safety mechanisms for accidents and repairs. In addition to the cost advantages in production and operation, 48 volt technology could also solve the capacity problem of the existing 12 volt electrical system, which has to supply more and more electrical consumers in the car and is slowly reaching its limits.
The 48-volt hybrid technology will premiere in the Renault Scénic compact van at the end of the year. There, the electric motor and diesel are combined primarily to save fuel. More 48-volt hybrids are likely to follow soon. (Holger Holzer / SP-X)