View Single Post
Old 11-03-2010, 07:25 PM   #13 (permalink)
cfg83
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 532 Times in 358 Posts
Neil -

Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard View Post
...

Series/serial hybrids have several big advantages over pure parallel-only hybrids:

The ICE *should* be run at a single RPM driving a fixed load. (Which is is not how the Volt uses it -- the Volt is not an ideal series/serial implimentation.) This makes several things possible:

This lets the engine be optimized for that one RPM, and we all know that this is ideal situation -- for parallel hybrids, too. (They run best at highway speeds when they don't need to use their transmission.) So, in the case of an Atkinson cycle ICE, this means it can always be at about 38% efficiency.

...
I love the concept of the series-hybrid because of the single-RPM BSFC sweet-spot argument. However, it seems like no one has made one for "normal" 4-wheeled cars. Do you think we could extrapolate the specs of an FVT eVaro into a 4-wheeled 4-passenger equivalent and see what MPGe it gets?

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote