Ultralight 4-passenger cars with modern hybrid-electric drives could average < 1,6 litres per 100 km with demonstrated technologies. Consumption < 1,0 possibly nearly equal 0,6 l/100 km appears achievable with the best existing or more advanced technologies. Far from sacrificing other attributes for efficiency, ultralight hybrids could be more safe, peppy, clean, durable, reliable, quiet, comfortable, and beautiful than existing cars, yet be priced about the same or less. The key improvements required - chiefly mass and aerodynamic drag 56-57 % below present U.S. production cars' - have been demonstrated. Further nearly equal 2-3x reductions in drag-mass product appear feasible via net-shape materials that would also cut production costs through materials savings, hundredfold fewer parts, tenfold less assembly labour and space, and tooling costs reduced nearly equal 2-10x. Production innovations and radically simpler design could fundamentally change how cars are made and sold, permitting extremely short product cycles, just-in-time local manufacturing, no-inventory direct delivery, onsite maintenance, and smaller markups but higher profits. Serious cultural and institutional barriers merit policy intervention to make this challenging transition less a hardship than a lucrative opportunity. Supercars could also buy time to implement, but cannot replace, fundamental transportation and land-use reforms.
Advanced ultralight hybrid-electric vehicles
Moderne, ultraleichte Elektrofahrzeuge mit Hybridantrieb
1993
11 Seiten, 10 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Advanced ultralight hybrid-electric vehicles
Automotive engineering | 1993
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