Featured All Volvos launched from 2019 will be hybrid or EV

EU efficiency increases are in 2020 and 2021. I really doubt anyone is asking when they buy a volvo why are they not getting prius mileage.

The key here in going 48V is the drop in lithium battery prices. You really are going to need a start stop system at least to pass the european test. Then the question is advanced lead acid or lithium. Lithium is more expensive today, but ... in 2021 the year you are designing these vehicles for the price likely won't be much more. You want to get the engine fired up fast from a stop, and drive heavy duty electrical components like power steering, air conditioning compressors, brake compressors. Here lithium has a big advantage. The disadvantage - many cheap components in cars like head lights are still 12 V, so you still need a small lead acid battery to drive these. This may change as more vendors go 48V, or like the new ioniq hybrid lithium gets so cheap that you add a tiny 12 lithium battery for these accessories. If its only $200 for a 0.5 kwh lithium battery, it seems like a no brainier to add one to a car as this will last longer than an advanced lead acid for start stop duty.

Other up sides for companies like volvo is the hybrid turbo charger. When called upon for power, the battery can spool up the turbo eliminating turbo lag. When power is not needed and the turbo is spinning too fast, it can put the power of the exhaust stream back to charge the battery. Since volvo uses mainly turbo models, having the higher voltage system would allow them to better optimize engine performance/efficiency.

The question then becomes why will 48V systems be a lot cheaper than higher voltage systems, comes down to regulations. At 60V, us regulations require high voltage safety. This adds significant costs to components, probably hundreds of dollars per car. in a bev or hsd type hybrid it probably is necessary regulations, but maybe not for a small mg.

Bob, I do completely agree with you the move to 48V will primarily improve higher speed fuel efficiency, not city hyper mile stuff. IMHO this is OK. It may mainly only save a small percentage of gasoline on a much bigger volume of auto sales. Also this highway efficiency may help drive European regulators away from favoring diesel above mild hybrid. We are at the beginning of the electrified transportation sector. In the US only about 3% of auto sales were hybrids or plug-ins. With many car manufacturers embracing 48V, it will help drive volume which lowers costs in hybrid lithium batteries, electronic hvac compression, electronic building of hydraulic pressure. All of these will help lower the costs in hybrids and phevs, which may help them to build market share.

 

I don't think GM ever bothered to report a break out of their sales figures. It isn't impossible that hybrid Silverado numbers we saw in the Dashboard earlier this year were the last two modes being sold. GM was only making 700 to 900 of them between Chevy and GMC.

The most recent news on them was a blog post with photos of a camoed up 2019 truck. Mostly speculation, but the photographers were close enough to tell that it had a start/stop system. That is all it could be, but with the LaCrosse getting the same eAssist system on the base drive train, GM offering it on other models isn't far fetched.
2019 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra Won’t go to Aluminum Beds | Off-Road.com Blog

Yeah, I read those gains as in comparison to an ICE car with older technology, not the cutting edge stuff that is coming out. The figures can also be based upon an engine designed to work with the mild hybrid system, but I think what is coming out now is the system bolted on to a traditionally designed ICE. The mild hybrid suppliers are already working systems that move the motor from the P0, engine front, belt driven systems to P1 ones were the motor is between the engine and transmission. They aren't has bolt on friendly, but provide better gains from regen braking.

I'm not concerned with you or others here choosing an efficient, clean ride in regards to these mild hybrids, but with the 95+ percent of other car buyers in this country.

 

Delphi is talking P2 for these new designs. That is similar to hyundai/bmw/vw hybrids with a dual clutch, but with a less expensive mg attached with belt between the clutches. This takes a design time change, instead of just modifying and ice car, and it is slightly more expensive (1 additional clutch), but also allows the mg to drive the vehicle without engine drag, and recoup more regen power.

JCI in 2013 introduced the concept of their micro-hybrid battery. This combined a small lithium ion battery, a small lead acid battery, and a dc/dc converter to charge the lead acid from the lithium/ion side, all packaged to fit nicely under the hood. These better start/stop (or mild or micro hybrids) are what this battery is made for.

Volvo mainly has turbo charged engines to efficiently produce 240-360 hp. 48V systems can really help hybrid turbo chargers perform better, and the 48V system makes it cheaper to add this functionality. Electrically supercharging to reduce turbo lag at lower rpms, while using more efficient turbo charging at steady state and higher rpms.

+1

 

If you want to impress me with one of these 'simple' 48V systems, do the following:

Put the motor on the "Idler Gear" with computer control of the shift forks and clutch and eliminate the 12V starter. It won't matter if the car has 12V, 48V, or 336V primary power. For higher voltages, use a DC-to-DC converter for the 12V loads and as voltage appropriate (and affordable) accessories show up ... the path is obvious. Actually there is an ideal voltage for North America:

• 120VAC -> +/- 168V peak-to-ground, two battery packs
• 2 * +/- 168V -> 336 V peak-to-peak

Using the power electronics, we could plug the car into the grid for a 15-20A, 120VAC circuit.

Bob Wilson

 

Well what you are asking is pretty close to the P2 design attached to a double clutch transmission. Of course a double clutch transmission is more expensive than a manual, but much faster shifting and more efficient when programmed to be ;-) P2 can also be attached to a traditional automatic, with or without a locking slush box. P2 does require a designed in approach, versus the P0 mild hybrids or start stop gms that we are all familiar with. IMHO a P2 approach with a hybrid turbo 4 and advanced cylinder deactivation, could give vastly improved efficiency over a 6 cylinder for 240+ hp applications. In order to get real efficiency gains on 200 hp and lower (208 in the new camry hybrid) psd type hybrids seem like a much better trade off.

Voltage matters, because engine off operation require higher power. This can be done with lower priced wiring and components at 48VDC versus 12VDC. Yes the 48VDC systems all have dc to dc converters for the 12V, JCI is proposing the converter and two batteries in a single battery component with both 48V and 12V terminals for micro-hybrids. Obviously higher than 48V is better for bigger mg's, but regulations require extra safety equipment above 60V, and 48V is a compromise.