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Old 01-22-2010, 07:44 PM   #81 (permalink)
cfg83
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dcb -

Quote:
Originally Posted by dcb View Post
I am really just saying that there are energy conversion losses from the ICE in a series hybrid that a parallel hybrid does not have to endure, and in the "range extender" mode these will be magnified.

...

series gets the hype for convenience of implementation, you do not have to think about driveline issues, but there are real conversion losses which rarely get addressed and are presented as their optimal values when they are. if a motor is 80-90 % efficient, and a generator is 80%-90% you have a worst case of a %64 efficient ICE driveline and a best of .81 for series.

...
I have no problem with that benefit. If this makes a series hybrid forward-compatible to different energy production/storage solutions, ICE or otherwise, then that's great. I like the idea of a factory being able to retool faster to take advantage of technology X. We can't get smaller engines in the USA, but I can imagine smaller and/or diesel implementations of the Volt when it is sold as an Opel Ampera.

Ha ha, it would make our lives easier when we want to swap in a Kubota diesel, .

CarloSW2

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