170 mpg hydraulic drive car

[Frank Lee]

Valentin Technologies releases teaser images of 170 mpg IngoCar — Autoblog Green

PRESS RELEASE

Valentin Technologies releases first images of the IngoCar.

Elm Grove, WI, March 1, 2010. - Valentin Technologies has given the public its first glimpse of its IngoCar with the release of three teaser sketches. The five -seat, four door, sportwagen is brimming with innovation.

The company's founder Ingo Valentin has stated that "Finally outstanding performance and extremely high mileage are combined in a mid-size passenger car."

The vehicle's estimated mileage is 170 mpg based on a mix of city and rural driving. This extraordinary fuel efficiency is achieved by a revolutionary hydraulic-fluid drive. This hybrid gasoline/hydraulic drive system can deliver acceleration from 0-60 in 4 seconds. Using a small gasoline engine, fluid is pumped into an accumulator. The fluid then drives hydraulic wheel motors for shiftless acceleration. During braking, motors are reversed and pump the entire recuperated braking energy back into the accumulator. This innovative technology and the car's light weight give an estimated range of 1,000 miles for a full 6 gallon tank of fuel.

Hydraulics is also used to create an innovative protection system for occupants. Hydraulic bumpers embedded in the car's structure can absorb impacts up to 40 mph. The accumulator's central placement and low center of gravity provide excellent handling characteristics. The small size of the accumulator and drive system allows for a roomy passenger area and large trunks front and rear giving 24 cubic feet of cargo carrying capacity (8/16 front/rear).

Styling for the car was provided by Davide Tonizzo, of designD. "Ingo wanted an image that reflected the car's performance and its low emissions. The words athletic and friendly inspired the design." The designer opted for a two box design with aero driven features including front and rear diffusers and very soft front corners. However, the designer adds, "It was important to give the car appeal. While we wanted an efficient aero design we didn't want to overdo the aeronautical character and create an airplane for the road." The styling remains modern and pleasant with distinctive Venturi-inspired lines on the side panels that pay tribute to the aero efficiency and help define the IngoCar brand.

Mr. Valentin says, "We are proud to unveil our vision of an automobile that has the style, interior space, comfort and cost of a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class combined with unprecedented range and fuel economy."

Valentin Technologies is based in Elm Grove, Wisconsin USA .The company develops new hydrostatic power trains for vehicles. Technical expertise is based on more than 15 years of product development with leading manufacturers in this field. For additional information go to: www.valentintechnologies.com

Davide Tonizzo is a Toronto-based car designer with a diverse range of clients. His projects have received numerous awards and have been featured in international design publications. Find out more about Davide Tonizzo at www.designd-online.com.
************************************************** ******

Somehow affiliated with Pure Energy Systems??? Which if there was any truth in advertising should be called Pure BS Systems...

Applied for X-Prize... not in the competition now? Way to throw away millions in easy money

[TimG]

Every hydrostatic drive I've seen specs on is way more inefficient than a manual tranny. Also worse than an automatic with a locking converter.

Using an accumulator for regen braking isn't new, either- a Portland guy tried to get the postal service and busses to use his system way back in the mid-seventies. It worked OK but didn't have the ROI back in cheaper fuel days.

Brings back fond memories of the Dale.

[RobertSmalls]

This is their idea of "images"? No. These are sketches. That means they still haven't built one, nor have they demonstrated a prototype of their drivetrain to support their extraordinary claims. Until I see less hype and more prototype, I think it's vaporware.

[Frank Lee]

Don't you see? He needs $3B in order to progress...

Speaking of progress, I wonder how Magic Trike guy is coming...

[maxc]

Back in 1977 there was a hydraulic Granada weighed 4120lbs 38.4 mpg city. In Mechanix Illustrated magazine.

[Duffman]

Hydraulic drives are coming to the heavy truck market, I think it will be enivitable that it will find its way to smaller lines if they can get the economics in order.

[Christ]

Even if the hydraulic drive is less efficient than a manual or automatic transmission, it doesn't matter.

You can't consider a specific driveline part when the dynamics of the drive system are changed. With a hydraulic drive system, the fueled engine runs at it's most efficient RPM/load ALL THE TIME. Your car doesn't do that.

Even if the hydraulic setup were only 70% efficient, it would probably (most likely) still beat anything on the market currently, provided it would actually be built and work.

[Old Mechanic]

http://www.innas.com/Assets/files/Hydrid%20brochure.pdf

Similar system I posted before.

Valentin has been pursuing this for two decades. His concept is sound but it seems to me like his marketing smacks of Paul Mollar and his aero car.

The critical component of an effective hydraulic hybrid is the in wheel drives. The reason for in wheel-drives is the lower RPM of in wheel drives allows efficiency to remain high at higher speeds. Hydraulic in wheel drives should approach 95%+ efficiency in the near future and I believe mine has advantages over all the other types.

Accumulators approach 99% efficiency and keeping the fluid passageways short and restriction free is necessary.

Current state of the art is approaching 80% from wheel to accumulator and back to wheel. Once 80% is reached then the sky is the limit as far as fuel mileage.

Christ is exactly right. Comparing any conventional drive to a IVT in wheel hydraulic is a false comparison.

Engine only running at highest BSFC double efficiency. Engines designed specifically for direct generation of hydraulic pressure have reached efficiencies of over 50%, which is triple the efficiency of current averages.

Combine this with 90% direct transmission of power to the wheels and 80%+ regeneration efficiency and you truly have a game changer.

Add better aero and lower rolling resistance tires, and the total KW/HR needs decline. while the system automatically compensates.

In comparison when you lower the aero drag under normal circumstances you need less power from the engine and efficiency is lower at lower load levels in a typical engine.

The linked design explains this precisely, take the time to read and understand it and you will better understand the advantages.

For those who advocate electric primary power, it's not an either or choice, just use the battery and electric motor in place of the IC engine, to restore accumulator reserves. This places less cycle stresses on the battery and eliminates the poor regeneration efficiency of electric hybrids which is less than 40%.

regards
Mech

[Old Mechanic]

Current Diesel electric trains could be replaced with hydraulic in wheel drives. Today a Diesel electric train uses the drive motors to heat a grid above the engine for braking. With the surge recovery capability of a hydraulic drive they could use an accumulator to recover that wasted heat energy.

Kind of like a giant electric stove.

Accumulator cars could be added for areas with steep grades, instead of adding engine units.

regards
Mech

[puddleglum]

the new design of hydrstatic motor that Innas shows might actually make a hydraulic drive feasible if they can make it inexpensively enough. high weight, low efficiency and high cost have been three strikes against hydraulic drive. Maybe they've overcome two of them anyway.