Ford to Unveil Diesel-Hybrid Concept Car
26 December 2004
Ford is unveiling a diesel-hybrid concept car at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The Mercury Meta One is based on the Freestyle and uses a twin-turbocharged V-6 diesel combined with an electric motor. No details yet on the elements of the hybrid system, or projected fuel consumption. Meta One is designed to meet California’s Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) requirement.
The hybrid powertrain delivers 431 lb.-ft. of torque and is 97% cleaner than the Tier I emissions standard for NOx. Meta One, according to Ford, shows that diesels can potentially meet the strictest emissions standards when combined with modern hybrid and after-treatment technologies.
To meet the California PZEV requirements, the vehicle must meet SULEV-2 emissions levels combined with a 15 year/150K mile emissions warranty and a zero-evaporative fuel system. There are some 16+ 2004 models from 10 different automakers meeting PZEV requirements, among them the Ford Focus and the hybrid Escape (AT-PZEV for Advanced Technology PZEV).
Ford has also working with BP in exploring the performance of biodiesel in the concept engine.
The Meta One is also a showcase for two new advances in safety technology: Lane Departure Warning and Collision Mitigation by Braking. (Meta One also features built-in WiFi capability.)
Ford, which is adding two more gas-electric hybrids to its lineup, isn’t ready to commit to diesel hybrid technology. But preliminary tests are promising.
“They are very close, from an emissions level—theoretically—to what a fuel cell could produce,“ said Phil Martens, group vice president of North America product creation.
More details as they come.
Ford, with its partnership with PSA, is becoming more of a force in diesel engines...especially smaller diesel engines popular in Europe. Earlier this year, Ford joined with the UK Department for Transport, Ricardo Consulting Engineers, Valeo SA and the Gates Corporation in a research project to develop a diesel hybrid medium-sized commercial vehicle.
Ford Diesel Hybrid is certainly a step in the right direction - most certainly if they use bio-diesel.
This is how I think it should be done:
Please feel free to pass this along to any auto company that might want to take a look. So far I haven't found anyone that understands what I'm saying. Surely there's something here that someone could use.
What we really need is a car company that will build one like this - Simplified Hybrids are the way to go. Fuel cells will never be practical in private transportation. Nor will Hydrogen power. This leaves you with an ungodly mess if you use almost any other fuel.
Like to produce a vehicle that can burn rubber on takeoff on all four wheels and get 90+ mpg?
What I would like to see the automakers working on would have:
A turbocharged, two cylinder opposed, 2-cycle, air-cooled diesel directly
driving a generator. (It would not be running most of the time.) An appropriately sized Lithium-Ion Polymer battery pack. Nothing but wires going from the controller to every wheel, except for the necessary additional friction brakes (of course). An added advantage of this would be the ability to recharge from the electrical grid while at home, saving even more on fuel.
Each wheel, depending on the feedback to the controller from wheel speed sensors would drive with just the right power depending on the accelerator position. You would get recharging from deceleration just as you do in today's hybrids. You would also use this feedback to stop the wheel from skidding.
Each wheel would have a stationary stator and a series of fixed magnets
closely adjacent all around the inside of the wheel. In a sense it would
operate each wheel in a very similar fashion that the mag-lev trains use,
except the motion would be circular, of course. Something very different
about this type of motor is that the stators are fixed to the axles and the
magnets are driven around them. This gives a significant increase in
mechanical advantage. That's like turning an ordinary electric motor inside out.
There would be no need for ordinary electric motor brushes. In fact, many electric motors operating today are brushless.
Such motors already exist in the model airplane field and their efficiently
is amazing - approaching 90%. I've got a couple and doubt that I would ever buy any other type.
It's possible to hang the model on the prop right out in front of you and
accelerate straight up, like a rocket, with this type motor
In the vehicle the motor/generator would not turn on to recharge the
batteries until they needed it. There are already experimental Lithium-Ion
driven cars that can get in excess of 200 miles before they have to be
recharged by plugging them in.
Lithium -Ion battery technology is so new that I doubt that very many
automotive engineers have even heard of them, much less thought to use them in this manner. Their energy density exceeds that of any other form of rechargeable energy storage.
The Lithium Ion battery is the most efficient battery available right now. So is the outer rotor electric motor the most efficient motor.
Build an SUV right and it will weight less and have simpler, easier to repair/replace modules.
Lets see what we can eliminate while improving performance and efficiency.
Transmission - None
Ignition system - None
Liquid cooling - None
Valves and valve train - None
Use bio-oil/fuels for both fuel and lubrication.
Lucas
Posted by: William Lucas Jones | 27 December 2004 at 07:25 AM
Excellent points.
Displacement-on-demand and GPS traffic signal coordination are also what is needed.
Keep an eye out for flywheel developement and the compressed air vehichle for certain nich vehichles-parcel delivery vans- in locals where there is abundant hydro and nuclear power.
Posted by: kenneth johnstone | 29 December 2004 at 10:06 AM