Oshkosh runs diesel series-hybrid light concept vehicles in 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 (corrected)
21 November 2010
|
|
| The Oshkosh Extreme Racing team Light Concept Vehicle (LCV) M2. Click to enlarge. |
Oshkosh Corporation ran two Light Concept Vehicles (LCV) through the 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race course in Mexico, 18-20 November; one crossed the finish line of the 1,061-mile desert course.
The LCVs are powered by the Oshkosh ProPulse diesel-electric powertrain. (Earlier post.) The ProPulse system uses a modular series-hybrid arrangement to simplify the transmission of power to the wheels. The diesel engine powers an electric generator, which provides direct power to the wheels, eliminating the torque converter, automatic transmission, transfer case and drive shafts. The system has no batteries, using ultracapacitors for energy storage instead.
A regenerative braking function stores engine energy and then uses it to assist in the next braking operation, reducing wear and tear on the brake system. The system can improve fuel economy by up to 40% 20% over conventional powertrains in harsh terrain, according to Oshkosh.
The two Oshkosh Extreme Racing vehicles, numbered M1 and M2 for the race, also incorporated the next-generation of TAK-4 independent suspension systems. The new system expands on the Oshkosh patented TAK-4 suspension by increasing off-road mobility, improving vehicle maneuverability and providing a smoother ride.
The Oshkosh LCV M1 was unable to meet a checkpoint time requirement, causing the vehicle to receive a “did not finish” result. M2 reached speeds of nearly 80 mph (129 km/h) and completed the course at 4:20 p.m. PST—approximately 6.5 hours over the limit for scoring purposes.
Approximately 58 percent of all vehicles that start the race, are able to finish the race. I know I speak for the entire SCORE staff and race officials when I say we are impressed with how well the Oshkosh Extreme Racing team performed during their inaugural run.
—Sal Fish, SCORE International’s President and CEO, which has sanctioned and produced the event since 1975
Participating in a competitive event like the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 was an amazing experience for our team. The race allowed us to assess the performance of our technologies under extreme conditions and we learned a lot. This development milestone was a huge success and our engineers and maintenance experts are eager to apply what we learned to ultimately improve military vehicle fleets for decades to come.
—Chris Yakes, Oshkosh Corporation vice president of Advanced Products Engineering and Oshkosh Extreme Racing team member
The 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 is the season-finale of the five-race 2010 SCORE Desert Series. The rugged 1,061.69-mile (1,708.62-km) course ran on both sides of the peninsula, starting in Ensenada, Baja California and finishing all the way down the peninsula in La Paz in Baja California Sur.
A good series hybrid drivetrain would probably have 10-20% driveline losses, about the same as an old style automatic, although you would gain a lot from braking energy and not having to have the engine respond intsantly to changes in load.
Posted by: 3PeaceSweet | 21 November 2010 at 08:12 AM
Very advance concept, HEV should use ultracap instead of batteries, the braking recovery would be much more effective. But ultracap still have too limited storage capacity, at the very best you can store 0.5Kwhrs in 100Kgs, that is acceptable but still too limited and too expensive
Posted by: Treehugger | 21 November 2010 at 07:24 PM
Volt may have decided to use some mechanical assist due to performance, mileage and battery life. With super caps you can accelerate and decelerate nicely, but AFS has the patent on battery/cap configurations.
Posted by: SJC | 22 November 2010 at 04:05 PM
Learn about Ontario's Solar Industry Stay up to date on all the latest happenings in Ontario's active solar energy industry. Learn about solar panel training, recent events, and career opportunities.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 27 November 2010 at 08:11 AM
Solar Panel Installation Training Become certified in Solar Panel Installation by taking Ontario Solar Academy's 5-day intensive training course. With this solar education, you can launch a new career installing solar PV panels.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 27 November 2010 at 08:20 AM
Stay Connected to Ontario's Solar Industry The Ontario Solar Network is Ontario's fastest growing community of solar professionals. Sign up as a member to begin building your "network."
Posted by: Account Deleted | 27 November 2010 at 08:21 AM