SVE Launches CLEANOVA Plus E100 Hybrid

1 October 2006

The CLEANOVA II battery-electric vehicle.

SVE (Société de véhicules électriques), an electric vehicle developer jointly created by the French companies Heuliez and Dassault, has launched a new version of its hybrid powertrain called Cleanova Plus, which combines the firm’s battery-electric system with a spark ignition engine running on 100% bioethanol as a range-extender.

SVE has been testing the CLEANOVA II battery-electric vehicle—also available with a range extender in a series hybrid configuration—with the French post office (La Poste) and expects to begin commercial sales imminently. CLEANOVA II uses lithium-ion batteries and a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor-generator from TM4. (Earlier post.)

The range extender (prolongateur d’autonomie) integrated into the electric drive unit.

The drivetrain is a multifunction system that integrates a 35 kW electrical motor, a 15 kW range extender generator and a differential in a single module. The drivetrain module also includes all the associated control and power electronics, the DC-DC converters, and the battery charger.

In this year’s Challenge Bibendum Rally from the test facility to Paris and back, the SVE vehicles retained a 30% battery charge after traveling 130km.