AN_suppl_051031_8-10.qxd 19.10.2005 19:33 Uhr Page 8 Powertrain Hybrid choices will multiply until fuel cell technology arrives RICHARD TRUETT AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE he early optimism for hydrogen-powered Tfuel cell vehicles got a reality check in 2005. With the exception of General Motors, virtually no automaker, supplier, energy company or government official expects fuel cell vehicles to be ready for mass production until at least 2020. Even GM has softened its once bullish position on fuel cells. Instead of having a complete vehicle ready for production in 2010, GM says it now plans to have a fuel cell powertrain tested and validated by the end of the decade. Because fuel cell vehicles are so far off and because automakers need a mid-term strategy to reduce consumption and lower emissions, gasoline-electric hybrids moved into the lead this year as the quickest and least expensive way to achieve those goals. The new generation of clean-running Ford Motor Co. is one of several automakers testing fuel cell vehicles, including a diesels will be another fuel-saving hybrid fuel cell vehicle. While the Ford Focus FCV (above) appears no different than a powertrain available in North America, but conventional Focus, the floorpan is actually a hydrogen fuel cell and auxiliary energy more on that later. system that can supply electricity to the powertrain. A hydrogen tank is in the trunk. Gasoline-electric hybrids will account for The FCV also has a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and a brake-by-wire slightly less than 200,000 of the roughly regenerative braking system. 17 million vehicles expected to be sold in the US this year. to raise global production to 1 million units In western Europe, hybrid sales will a year by 2012. Toyota sold about 135,000 Clean alternatives account for less than 40,000 units of the hybrids worldwide in 2004. region’s forecast 14.6 million car sales Diesels, which are hugely popular in Suppliers working on this year. Europe, will be returning to the North low-emission powertrains: Despite the small numbers, most major American market in significant numbers Hybrids Fuel cells automakers have or will be investing in the starting in 2008. technology and launching new hybrid Cleaner fuel that dramatically reduces ● Aisin Systems ● Ballard Power models starting next year. sulfur emissions will be introduced in the ● Robert Bosch ● Delphi Hybrids are not expected to be widely US in late 2006. By using urea to clean the ● Continental ● DuPont available in Europe until around 2008 or exhaust, D/C, BMW, GM and Ford will be ● Delphi ● GM 2009. They likely won’t get as warm a able to meet strict new emission regulations ● Denso ● UTC Fuel Cells reception as in the US. Hybrids will be that require diesel engines to run as cleanly competing against thrifty diesel engines, as gasoline engines. ● Siemens VDO which already account for about half the D/C already has confirmed that diesels ● Toyota new-cars sales in western Europe. are scheduled for several US-bound ● Visteon General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Mercedes-Benz models starting in 2008. ● ZF BMW formed a partnership that will see all The Chrysler group, which includes three companies use a dual-mode hybrid Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, has had success system with two electric motors that selling the diesel version of the Jeep Liberty Systems as well as a nickel-metal hydride reduces fuel consumption in both city and SUV (badged the Cherokee in Europe) in battery pack and a brake-by-wire electro- highway driving. the US and could add diesel versions of hydraulic regenerative braking system. The The powertrain will be used in SUVs the Chrysler 300 sedan and Jeep Grand fuel cell engine converts chemical energy starting in 2008. Cherokee SUV. into electric energy using hydrogen fuel and Meanwhile, engineers are continuing oxygen from the air. Coming from Ford work on both the gasoline and diesel The electric energy then powers the Ford, fresh off the success of its hybrid internal combustion engine. vehicle’s electric drive motor, producing only Escape SUV in the US, launched a Mercury Several potential breakthroughs could water vapor and heat as byproducts. version called the Mariner and has see dramatic improvements in emissions Finally, fuel cell researchers are making announced that it will boost hybrid and efficiency. progress but are still struggling with some production to 250,000 units in five years. very tough problems. The next hybrids from Ford will be the Fuel cell hybrid The cost per kilowatt hour is still about Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan compact Ford last year launched production of a 10 times too high, cold-weather sedans. small fleet of Ford Focus FCV sedans for performance is not up to the same Ford aims to start selling models testing in the US and Canada. FCVs also standards as internal combustion engines equipped with a hybrid powertrain in will be tested in Germany. and no one has figured out how to produce Europe by 2007. The FCV is a hybrid car that uses a fuel and distribute enough hydrogen to replace Toyota, the leader in hybrid sales, plans cell powertrain supplied by Ballard Power gasoline. ANE ◆ 8 Automotive News Europe October 31, 2005 AN_suppl_051031_8-10.qxd 19.10.2005 19:24 Uhr Page 9 Powertrain ALTERNATIVE FUELS he threat of running out of crude oil and Tconcerns about the environment are driving the industry to adopt alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. The industry’s focus is on two groups: those based on natural gas and those made from biomass. Hydrogen – an alternative for the distant future – is not a fuel but an energy carrier. Legislation is driving the research. European Union laws focus on reducing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that some scientists blame for global warming, but are not as tough on particulate matter (soot) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are blamed for damaging respiratory systems, aggravating asthma and even death. US and Japanese regulations focus more on reducing soot and NOx. HOW THEY WORK Natural gas in compressed condition is a practical and efficient alternative fuel. Compressed natural gas (CNG) has an advantage over other fossil fuels: It contains less carbon and in turn produces less CO2 when burned. Gas-to-liquid (GTL) is a more sophisticated fuel. It is made from natural gas with naphtha as an additive. GTL reduces diesel emissions, plus, both CNG Oil made from rapeseed is used to create biodiesel in Europe. and GTL are sulfur free. Biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuels are another option. Because CNG or liquefied petroleum gas, but “The car industry is still mainly focused on biofuels are made from plants, trees or other combined 2005 new-car sales in each contemporary gasoline and diesel engine organic matter that absorb CO2 to grow, country won’t exceed 10,000 this year. In developments,” said Diane Lance, manager they are almost CO2 neutral. Biofuels also Sweden, E85 (a mixture of 85 percent of the chemistry department at Ricardo can be mixed with existing fuels to improve gasoline and 15 percent ethanol) is used as automotive consultants in the UK. their properties and reduce emissions such part of a nationwide government project. “Therefore, alternative fuels may remain as NOx. BTL can be made from different Today, 4 million Brazilian cars, or 40 playing a niche role or be tailored to match materials. In Brazil, sugar cane is used to percent, are running on a local mixture of the specifications of existing fossil fuels.” produce ethanol. Rapeseed oil is used to 25 percent ethanol and 75 percent gasoline. create biodiesel in Europe. PRIMARY SUPPLIERS OBSTACLES All European carmakers offer modified WHERE TO FIND THEM Distribution and cost are the main versions of their mainstream models so Available in much of Europe, biodiesel is obstacles. It is difficult to find a place to fill that the cars can run on CNG, GTL or a blend of 5.75 percent of a BTL fuel such as up a car that runs on an alternative fuel, BTL. All oil companies are working on rapeseed oil with diesel fuel. Italy and and expensive modifications need to be increasing natural gas production and Holland are Europe’s top markets for cars made to the car so that it can burn the conversion to GTL. that can operate using gasoline with either alternative fuel. There is one other problem: – Wim Oude Weernink DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSIONS offers the solution, which it calls DSG, as an option on 10 models. DSG is short for direct shift gearbox. ual-clutch transmissions promise the About 11 percent of the VW Golfs sold in Dsmooth operation of automatic western Europe are equipped with DSG. transmissions with fuel economy equal to or In the US, the VW group offers DSG as an better than manual transmissions. Like option on the VW Jetta and Audi A3 and TT. continuously variable transmissions and Analysts expect Ford will offer the automated manual transmissions, the dual- solution in Europe on the Mondeo and clutch solution offers better fuel economy Galaxy. They also believe Volvos ranging than automatic transmissions, which lose from the C30 to the V70 or even the XC90 power and fuel economy in the torque could get dual-clutch technology. converter. Transmission specialists expect dual-clutch transmission technology to gain The dual-clutch transmission works like OBSTACLES share in Europe and the US during the next two automatic transmissions side by side. A disadvantage of dual-clutch transmissions five years. is that, because of low volume, it costs more to clutches with rapid switches from one to the make than most manual transmissions.