Cars On The Blog

In order to make electric cars a part of everyday life, new vehicle designs and parts are needed. Take wheel hub motors, for instance. One of the advantages of wheel hub motors is that manufacturers can dispense with the conventional engine bay – the space under the »hood« or »bonnet« – since the motors are attached directly to the wheels of the vehicle.

This opens up a wealth of opportunities for car designers when drafting the layout of the vehicle. Additional advantages: By dispensing with the transmission and differential, the mechanical transmission elements suffer no losses or wear and tear. Moreover, the direct drive on each individual wheel may improve the drive dynamic and drive safety.

Researchers are developing not only individual components, but the total system as well. They assemble the components on their concept car, known as the »Frecc0« or the »Fraunhofer E-Concept Car Type 0« – a scientific test platform. Starting next year, automobile manufacturers and suppliers will also be able to use the »Frecc0« for testing new components. The basis of this demo model is an existing car: The new Artega GT manufactured by Artega Automobil GmbH. The establishment of this platform and the engineering of the wheel hub motor are just two projects among the panoply run by »Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility«.

The research cooperative is focusing on subjects that include vehicle design, energy production, distribution and implementation, energy storage techniques, technical system integration and sociopolitical matters. The federal ministry for education and research BMBF is funding this Fraunhofer initiative with 44 million euro. The goal is to develop prototypes for hybrid and electric vehicles, in order to support the German automotive industry as it makes the crossover to electromobility.

Wheel hub motors were invented back in the 19th century. Ferdinand Porsche used these motors to equip his »Lohner Porsche« at the 1900 World Fair in Paris. Much has been done since then: »We are developing a wheel hub motor that integrates all essential electric and electronic components, especially the power electronics and electronic control systems, into the installation space of the motor. Thus, no external electronics are necessary and the number and scope of the feed lines can be minimized. There is a marked increase in power compared to the wheel hub motors currently available on the market. Moreover, there is an innovative security and redundancy concept, which guarantees drive safety – even if the system breaks down,« explains Professor Matthias Busse, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research IFAM. Beside IFAM, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB, for Mechanics of Materials IWM and for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF are tackling these issues.

Critics find fault with the negative effects of wheel hub motors on vehicle handling. Dr. Hermann Pleteit, IFM project manager, responds: »The motor is extremely compact. The high power and torque densities merely cause a relatively low increase in unsprung mass. But by configuring the chassis in different ways – like the muffler settings, for example – you can compensate for these effects. There is no impact on drive comfort.«

The researchers are meeting yet another challenge: In contrast to conventional vehicles, electric cars can recapture the energy that comes from braking, and feed it back into the battery. In this case, the experts refer to »recuperation«. Now they are working on maximizing this energy recapture in the future. The conventional braking system still in use will only be needed in emergency situations.

With the Fraunhofer wheel hub motor, the researchers are implementing Ferdinand Porsche’s idea for the cars of the future, and testing these components on the demonstration vehicle.

Felix Horch | Source: EurekAlert!
Further information: www.ifam.fraunhofer.de
www.ifam.fraunhofer.de/index.php?seite=〈=en

The Honda Company has a history of producing quality cars, motorcycles, scooters, trucks, robots, jets and jet engines, ATVs, water craft, and many other important technologies. One interesting historical feature of the Honda Company is the origination of the Honda engine. Honda is the largest engine manufacturer in the world, with more than 14 million internal combustion engines built each year.

After World War II, Soichiro Honda formed the Honda Research Institute Company Ltd in Japan. In 1947, Honda built the A-type engine, a 1-horsepower 50cc two-stroke that fastened to bicycles. Honda staff called it the “chimney” because of its tall cylinder. In September 1948, the Honda Motor Co. was formally established.

The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck which was powered by a small 356 cc straight-4 gasoline engine. The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car. In 1961, the bigger Volvo model engines called the 122-S series B-18 engine were built. In 1965 Honda built a race car equipped with a 12-cylinder engine.

In 1973, The Ford Motor Company formed an agreement with The Honda Motor Company to obtain technical data on a new engine that would decrease air pollution. They created the first engine to meet the guidelines of the 1970 US Clean Air Act.

In 1991, Honda reported selling 7000 CRX-HF cars where the Honda engine used computers and sensors to control valve action and the air-fuel. The purpose was to increase the amount of air in the mixture to 20 parts per 1 part gasoline.

In May 1999, Honda announced that it would supply its new Formula 1 engines to British American Racing. The most important highlight of the announcement was that Honda’s engine engineers had developed an oil trap that fitted into the engine. Also in 1999, Hybrid Electric Honda launched the first commercial hybrid electric car that was sold in the US as the Honda Insight. The first-generation Insight was produced from 2000 to 2006. This was the most fuel-efficient mass-produced car at the time. In 2000, Honda began mass producing clean high-performance engines.

The Honda Civic GX is the only natural gas vehicle (NGV) available in certain US locations. In 2001, the Civic GX was rated the cleanest-burning internal combustion engine in the world by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?.

In 2006, Honda announced it would build a $154-million engine plant near Alliston, Ontario, Canada. It would be the first engine plant in Canada. In late 2006, Honda’s Brazilian subsidiary launched flexible-fuel versions for the Honda Civic and Honda Fit. These models run on a mixture of hydrous ethanol (E100) and E20-E25 gasoline. Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in Japan in February 2009. It will be the cheapest hybrid available in the US.

Since 2002, Honda has been selling the Honda Civic Hybrid (2003 model) in the US. It was followed by the Honda Accord Hybrid, which was offered in 2005 to 2007 models. Honda is also planning to introduce a hybrid version of its Honda Fit, as well as another unique small hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z sports car that was introduced at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

Honda has a remarkable history of building solid engines. It will be interesting to see what the future of the Honda engine will bring.

About the Author

Formula Honda in Toronto offers Honda new cars, used cars, trucks, SUV’s, minivans and commercial cars. Offering a large inventory of both Honda new and used as well as auto repair Toronto services.