Heydar Ali Palizban PhD, PEng

Senior Control Systems Engineer

Feb 28, 2009

Content

Why fuel efficiency is important

Environmental impacts and public concerns
A short history of electric and hybrid technology
How hybrid and electric cars work
Why they are fuel efficient
Advantages and issues
Technological challenges
Next generation of green vehicles
Q&A
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Why fuel efficiency is

important

World energy shortage and growing demand have caused energy crises
World oil consumption, 2007
Rank

Country

1 World

US
Date

85,220,000

2007 est.

20,680,000

2007 est.

14,390,000

2007

4 China

7,880,000

2007 est.

5 Japan

5,007,000

2007 est.

6 India

2,722,000

2007 est.

7 Russia

2,699,000

2007 est.

8 Germany

2,456,000

2007 est.

9 Brazil

2,372,000

2007 est.

10 Canada

2,371,000

2007 est.

18 Iran

1,600,000

2007 est.

23,043,000

2007 est.

2 United

States

3 European

Oil
consumption
(bbl/day)

Union

Rest of the world

Source: www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook

Why fuel efficiency is important

Oil Reserves are
diminishing
New data shows
Canada has world
second largest oil
reserves after Saudi
Arabia

Why fuel efficient cars?

Global warming due to CO2 emission

Combustion (burning)
Fuel(C,H)+O2 CO2 + CO + H2O + energy(heat)

CO2 emission 1980-1999

%32 for Transportation

Toxic pollutants such as SOX and NOX, CO and unburned

hydrocarbons
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Hybrid cars
2009 Toyota Prius
Hybrid

2009 Toyota Corolla

Conventional

5.3 Lit/100 Km

10.5 Lit/100 Km

About $780/year fuel savings

Assume $1 /1L
15000km / year
Invaluable benefit for environment

Better fuel efficiency, up to %80 theoretically possible

Less CO2 emission and pollution
Lower maintenance
Source:
www.fueleconomy.gov

A short history of hybrid & electric

cars
1825
Steam Engine Car, British inventor Goldsworthy
85 miles round trip took 10 hours (14 km/h)

1870
First electric car was build in Scotland

1897
The London Electric Cab Company used a 40-cell battery and 3

horsepower electric motor,

Could be driven 50 miles between charges

1898
The German Dr. Porsche, at age 23, Built the world's first front-wheel-

drive
Porsche's second car was a hybrid, using an internal combustion
engine to spin a generator that provided power to electric motors located
in the wheel hubs. On battery alone, the car could travel nearly 40 miles

Source: www.hybridcars.com/history
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A short history of hybrid & electric

cars
1900
US car companies made 1,681 steam, 1,575 electric and 936

gasoline cars.
In a poll, electric was the first choice, followed by steam
1904
Henry Ford overcame the gasoline engine issues: noise, vibration,
and odor
Produced low-priced, lightweight, gas-powered vehicles
Within a few years, the Electric Vehicle Company failed
1997-99
Toyota, Audi, Honda, Ford, GM followed by other main car
manufactures introduced new generation of electric and hybrid cars
2004
The Toyota Prius II won 2004 Car of the Year Awards from Motor Trend

Magazine and the North American Auto Show.

Toyota was surprised by the demand and pumped up its production from
36,000 to 47,000 for the U.S
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Where does fuel energy go in a

conventional car

87.4 % of fuel energy is wasted

Only 12.6 % of fuel energy is transferred to the wheels
5.8 % is turned to kinetic energy, consumed in the brake
17.2 % idling losses, engine on with no torque
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
US DOE

How hybrids save fuel

Engine is turned off at:
Stops
Lower speed (say less that 15 km/h), an electric motor drives
the car until speed reaches a certain limit, then engine kicks
in
When vehicle is stopping or going downhill, engine is turned
off, Regenerative braking is applied
2. When engine operates in an inefficient mode(e.g. at very high
or very low engine speeds), the electric motor kicks in and
assists engine. Engine is driven to its optimum operating zone
3. Engine can be made smaller, due to electric motor assistance
1.

10

A
VB > VA
increased
A
VA > VB

1
2

m(VA2 VB2 )

accelerating, fuel is consumed, kinetic energy is

B
braking, vey little fuel is consumed, kinetic energy is
reduced
energy is dissipated in the brakes as heat in conventional
cars
In hybrids braking energy is recovered by an electric
generator and stored in a battery
it is called regenerative energy, or Regen Energy
11

mgh

Need engine power, fuel is consumed, potential energy is increased

no need for engine power

Braking, vey little fuel is consumed, potential energy is reduced energy is
dissipated in the brakes as heat in conventional cars
In hybrids braking energy is recovered, Engine can be turned off
automatically going downhill

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Optimum engine operation

condition
Engine Map

Optimum operating
rang

BSFC [g/kWh]

13

How Hybrids work

Click on the link below to see a hybrid animation
Hybrid Demo

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A hybrid System
VCU
Prius does not
have
step gears
clutch or
torque converter
starter motor
alternator
Eclectic motors
and planetary
gear system
work as a CVT
or Continuously
Variable
Transmission

Schematic diagram of Prius

www.cleangreencar.co.nz/page/prius-technical-info
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How Hybrids work

Eclectic motors
and planetary
gear system
work as a CVT
or Continuously
Variable
Transmission

Prius Planetary Gear

www.cleangreencar.co.nz/page/prius-technical-info

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Hybrid engine and electric

motors
Hybrid engine
is smaller than
conventional
the engine

Prius Hybrid
www.cleangreencar.co.nz/page/prius-technical-info

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How Electric cars work

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Electric cars
Have comparable speed and power
Zero emission for hydro electric grids like BC 100 years old
High overall fuel efficiency, thermal power plants can

have up to 80% efficiency and lower emission

No IC engine, no transmission, no engine oil, no gearbox
fluid
Lower maintenance
Lower price
Good for inner city short trips
Simple and mature tech
Low noise
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Plug in hybrid
Plug in hybrid has advantages of the both
GM 2011 Chevrolet Volt can run for 40 miles on

electric power alone

Only uses gasoline to power a generator if the 40mile range is exceeded

Chevrolet Volt

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Hybrid cars issues

Currently more expensive than conventional
Heavier than conventional, due to battery pack and electric motors

weight
Limited battery life
Expensive battery pack if you want to replace it
Safety issues, high voltage battery and fuel
Reliability, still under study,
More complex computer controlled systems
May have drivability issues
Expensive to repair

21

Electric cars issues

Needs heavy duty power plug terminal (high current) everywhere:

home, parking and street with metering device

Electric energy infrastructure (generation, transmission and
distribution) must be expanded to provide extra energy for this type
of cars.
Travels short distances, inner city
Low speed
Battery charging takes time
Limited battery life
Safety issues
Need new regulatory standards and
New building electric code

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Technology challenges and

opportunities
Battery capacity reduces by time, even you do not use it.
This will impact fuel economy

Fuel economy is dependant

on battery capacity

The Honda Insights battery pack

120 Panasonic 1.2-volt cells (total 144 V)
Nickel metal hydride
100A discharge, and 50A charge rates
The system limits the usable capacity to 4ah to
extend battery life

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Technology challenges and

opportunities
Time of battery changing is long(plug in hybrid)
Batteries are heavy (100kg extra weight consumes 2L/100km more)
Batteries are expensive
Low performance in hot or cold temperatures also may damage the

battery
Very sensitive to overcharge/undercharge(Battery life reduces
dramatically)
Contain toxic heavy metals, disposal issue
Opportunity for researchers:
Advance research projects on batteries are supported by governments
and industries

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Next generation of green vehicles

Plug in hybrids with Lithium Ion Batteries and Ultra Capacitors

Hybrid Buses
Hybrid trucks with compressed gas energy storage systems
Hybrid trains
EVs everywhere

Hybrids on the Market

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Fail safe systems

A fail safe system?

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