Featured Buick eAssist

After five years with Chevette, a rented GEO Metro, watching the EV1 fiasco, and Saturn, I am not a fanboy of GM but they have occasionally done good:

Light Electrification Leads 2018 Buick LaCrosse Updates

DETROIT — The Buick LaCrosse expands its technological credentials by adding eAssist light electrification for the 2018 model. The combination of an electric motor with Buick’s latest 2.5L four-cylinder engine delivers quiet, refined and spirited efficient performance backed by the value and customer experience expected of Buick.

This new eAssist system, when coupled with the four-cylinder engine, has a 19 percent increase in city fuel economy compared to the LaCrosse’s advanced V-6 and leverages a compact lithium-ion battery pack to provide select benefits found in fully electric vehicles, such as torque-assisted launch, energy-saving regenerative braking and exceptionally smooth stop/start. It will be the standard powertrain for the 2018 LaCrosse, which goes on sale this fall.
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The press release is light on technical details so: Green Car Congress: Buick adding new eAssist mild hybrid to 2018 Buick LaCrosse as standard powertrain

Buick’s eAssist propulsion system combines a compact electric motor and an advanced 24-cell air-cooled 0.45kWh lithium-ion battery pack with the 2.5L four-cylinder gas engine to enhance efficiency and maintain refined performance through:

Motor Generator Unit (MGU): Replaces the traditional alternator and acts as an electric motor to assist the engine when needed. It also acts as an electric generator providing the energy stored in the lithium-ion battery pack.

Electric Assist: The MGU’s electric motor function provides a power boost for an extremely smooth launch from the Auto-Stop mode. It funnels additional torque to the engine when needed to optimize overall driving performance and efficiency.

Regenerative Braking: When braking or coasting, some of the energy normally lost is converted to electricity through the MGU and stored in the lithium-ion battery pack.

Lithium-Ion Battery Pack: The 86V lithium-ion battery pack, which has been repackaged to be more compact, stores energy captured during regenerative braking. This energy powers the electrical system when the vehicle is in Auto-Stop mode. It also powers the MGU to provide a smooth launch from Auto-Stop mode or additional torque to the engine as needed.

Seamless Stop/Start Technology: Contributes to added fuel savings by seamlessly turning off the engine when in Auto-Stop mode (e.g., at a stoplight or in heavy traffic) and restarting when the foot lifts off the brake pedal or presses the accelerator.

Aero Improvement: Upper and lower active aero shutters in the front fascia close under certain driving conditions to help maximize aerodynamics and contribute to improved fuel economy
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IMHO, the electric motor should be connected or part of the transmission. Belt-assisted (BAS) systems means the engine overhead will limit the motor assistance and make electric-only driving impractical. Notice they are using "86V", not "48V" advocated by Continental and only claiming "19%" improvement versus the inflated claims by Continental.

Bob Wilson

 

Perhaps time to define this term?

Old school, I try to expand an acronym on first reference. But I'm an old, old man and you kids get off my yard!

So I went to Greencarcongress to find the latest: Green Car Congress: Audi unveils Q8 sport concept with 48V mild hybrid system (mHEV); drive system coming to “many” Audi models

Audi unveils Q8 sport concept with 48V mild hybrid system (mHEV); drive system coming to “many” Audi models
7 March 2017
At the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show, Audi is presenting the Audi Q8 sport concept, a new performance-oriented take on the Q8 concept study introduced at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show. Equipped with a 3.0 TFSI six-cylinder engine featuring a 48V mild hybrid system (mHEV) and an electric compressor, the SUV​

I wish they weren't 'concept' but production cars. But searching further, I found: Green Car Congress: Continental puts first 48V hybrid assist system into production with Renault diesels


This makes more sense.

Read the comments too because one interesting variation is a +48V, And, -48V system. This allows using 96V for power bringing 'sustain velocity' into a reasonable speed range. A 'less bad' solution, it makes more sense.

Bob Wilson

 

Ordinarily I would agree but unlike earlier efforts, Buick downsized the engine to 2.5L and offers the eAssist for a lower price (if the articles are accurate.) This reduces the 'sting' whereas the earlier Belt Assisted (BAS) systems were more expensive.

Bob Wilson

 

If offered for less, a negative hybrid premium, that would be good news because it would encourage exactly the type of market shift needed. We'll have to wait until it shows up on the market place.

Bob Wilson

 

That was true when Bob KLutz was in charge.

Bob Wilson