Whilst the most obvious differences between conventional and hybrid vehicles involve the electric machine, battery and power electronics (see the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Systems section), a major consideration where complexity is often under-estimated is the new electronic system control components and their integration with the rest of the vehicle. Ricardo recognised this several years ago and invested in research programmes to develop skills and expertise in these areas.
The introduction of hybrid vehicles in Europe is a progressive evolution beginning with the introduction of vehicles with automatic stop and start strategies to complement the advances in Diesel and Gasoline engines. In the USA, the focus has been towards providing enhanced performance for Sports Utility Vehicles. In Japan there is a culture of technical innovation that provides a drive for advanced hybrid vehicles.
Whilst new technologies may offer outstanding opportunities for large steps in performance, they have to be proven and accepted in the harsh automotive world. Ricardo have experience both with new technologies and also with many programmes that are in production or are being productionised. We are ideally placed to offer support for taking Hybrid and Electric programmes all the way from demonstration into production.
The Ricardo Control and Electronics Group offers a unique portfolio of skills:
We have a fully integrated tool chain that supports these areas of development spanning from concept and feasibility studies to assessment of prototypes, proof of concept and production.
Ricardo typically undertakes projects that can cover all or part of this process, for example:
- Belt starter alternator mild hybrid vehicle development – eg: demonstration vehicle preparation and proof of concept
- Crankshaft starter-alternator hybrid vehicle development – eg: component selection and full packaging study
- Hybrid controller development – eg: Vehicle simulation, Hybrid control strategy, DC/DC converter design, Hardware design, bench testing and technology transfer
- Concept definition - eg use of vehicle simulation, V-SIM, to select hardware, set targets and assess feasibility
- Hybrid control strategy development - eg: use V-SIM, to develop control strategies before implementation in hardware, rapid prototype and prove on vehicle, provide specification of control strategy to OEM and control unit supplier
For further information on Ricardo's capabilities in Electric and Hybrid vehicle technology see Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Systems