Continental Develops 48-Volt Hybrid System With 30kW Electric Motor
Continental says its mild hybrid drive is more efficient, as well as cheaper, than others currently on the market
Continental has developed an innovative 48-volt drive system with a 30 kW electric motor and will premiere the powertrain at September's Frankfurt Auto Show.
According to the company, its cutting-edge drive system includes a 30 kW, water-cooled electric motor positioned between the combustion engine and the transmission. The system also includes power electronics optimized to handle higher-than-standard currents while being more efficient too.
A number of automakers have released 48-volt mild-hybrid vehicles in the past couple of years, but Continental doesn't view its solution as a "mild-hybrid" as it is able to operate exclusively in electric-only mode at speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph). It also says its drive system is considerably cheaper than the high-voltage systems used by most hybrids.
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"Thanks to its broad systems expertise, Continental Powertrain is mastering all variants of the electric drive, from 48-volt systems to hybrid technologies, right through to high-voltage components," Continental's powertrain business chief executive Andreas Wolf said. "We offer expertise and state-of-the-art technology from a single source."
Continental has not yet stated how efficient its hybrid drive system is but says it expects to see a 20 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions than combustion engine cars and a 10 per cent improvement over current 48-volt mild hybrid systems already on the market. The company has previewed the system in a specially-equipped Ford Focus prototype in Germany, but hasn't said yet which car manufacturers it intends on selling its 48-volt hybrid powertrain to.
