Hybrid Kinetic H600 microturbine range-extended electric vehicle concept runs 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds
20 March 2017
At the Geneva Auto Show, the China-based Hybrid Kinetic group unveiled the H600 microturbine range-extended electric vehicle sedan concept, produced together with its vehicle design and engineering partner, Pininfarina. The 60 kW microturbine range extender delivers 40% efficiency, low emissions, and a 10000-hour maintenance interval.
The 30 kWh battery pack has a long life span (50,000 charging/discharging cycles) as well as high energy density (300 Wh/kg); it can sustain a very high charging rate (50C). The fast charging capability allows the H600 to recover up to 30% of kinetic energy. The H600 features all-wheel torque vectoring, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds; the electric motors deliver combined maximum power of more than 600 kW. Range is more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
Hybrid Kinetic Group developed the 91 kg, 60 kW micro-turbine generator, which can use a variety of fuels, including gasoline, diesel, ethanol, natural gas, propane, or bio-fuels. The unit is composed of less than 40 parts. HKG intends for customers to configure the range extender to use the fuel of their preference based on regional fuel supplies and costs.
When compared with traditional gasoline vehicles, H600’s emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, NOx, and particulate matter is 2.5%, 11.7%, 36.6% and 77.4% of the ICE vehicles, respectively, HKG said. When compared with pure electric vehicles that use coal-generated electricity, H600’s emission of sulfide, nitrogen oxide, and particle matter is 0.17%; 0.67%; and 50% of the latter, respectively (a typical coal power plant emits 272 grams of PM when generating one kWh of electricity).
The chassis of the H600 is aluminum; empty weight for the vehicle is 1,870 kg (4,123 lbs).
When connected to residential home power systems with V2H (Vehicle-to-Home), H600 can provide electricity to homes and communities. When connected to other vehicles with V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle), H600 can charge other electric vehicles. When connected into the electric grid with V2G(Vehicle-to-Grid, H600 can modulate frequency and balance peak and valley demand for electricity.
In addition to the Geneva debut of H600, other models of new energy vehicles from Hybrid Kinetic Group will also debut at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show in mid-April.
Pininfarina and Cambiano project. In February, Pininfarina signed an agreement with Hybrid Kinetic Group under which Pininfarina will support Hybrid Kinetic in the turnkey development of an electric car from the styling concept and development of the vehicle to the engineering development and virtual and physical validation for series production. The collaboration agreement, worth about €65 million, will have a total duration of 46 months.
The Italian company has already explored the potential of a range-extended electric drive powertrain with its Cambiano project, unveiled at the 2012 Geneva show.
The Cambiano drive system is based on four electric motors—one for each wheel. The four motors, produced by Magneti Marelli, are mounted on the front and rear frames; each delivers a continuous supply of 60 kW with peaks of 150 kW for a total of 600 kW maximum power output, with torque of 640 N·m.
Each motor is controlled separately and electronically to guarantee various functions, including energy regeneration when decelerating and braking, traction control with the option of continuously varying the torque split between the wheels independently (Vectoring Stability Program) and anti-lock braking assistance.
The Cambiano drive system incorporated a 50 kW microturbine range extender—from Bladon Jets (earlier post)—to charge the batteries and, when necessary, to supply energy directly to the motors. The Cambiano vehicle was fitted with a 50 kWh pack.
a: I wonder what is sounds like.
b: If the turbine is in the middle, it might not be so noisy, but I wonder where they exhaust the gases.
Posted by: mahonj | 20 March 2017 at 04:58 AM
This system do not just apply to small cars like pure battery vehicle do, it also apply to trucks, machineries, home, boats and probably airplanes. Im interested to buy if the small car cost less than 20 000$. their battery seam to be good too.
Posted by: gorr | 20 March 2017 at 07:30 AM
Small turbines are not efficient.
Posted by: SJC | 20 March 2017 at 09:29 AM
They are claiming 40% efficiency for the turbine which is as good as any gas and most diesel engines, but smaller and cleaner.
It looks a bit overpowered for normal cars, but could be good for buses or vans.
A good range extender would be a great boon to all electric cars, then you could size the batteries to the typical driving range, rather than some hypothetical "maximum range".
Posted by: mahonj | 20 March 2017 at 12:58 PM
Small Turbines have not been efficient, does it break a law of physics for a small turbine of 60Kw to be 40% efficient? because that is the claim of the maker- I take no stance on the veracity of the claim but if said claim is true it would be very promising.
Posted by: William Stockwell | 20 March 2017 at 01:05 PM
I don't believe the claim.
Posted by: SJC | 20 March 2017 at 10:53 PM
I would tend to doubt the 40% efficiency claim. Very large turbines (> 100,000 KW) used for power generation are in the 40% or maybe 40+% efficiency range and maybe 55+% with a rankine bottoming cycle.
Posted by: sd | 21 March 2017 at 12:05 PM
Even at 40% for the micro turbine, then you have 90% for the alternator then 90% for the controller then 90% for the motor under ideal conditions.
Posted by: SJC | 22 March 2017 at 05:47 AM
It's nothing new. The turbo manufactures are busy with electrics. The mild hybrid will have the option. If the engine needs no boost the turbine will power an inline generator. If the turbo has no hp but the engine needs boost the generator kicks into motor status to power boost. It's a nice setup and supposidly will do away with the alternator.
The new fuel standard being developed will lead to more efficient engines that have much power density. A good thing to power turbo's.
The new class of efficient hybrid vehiles with turbo power will surpass typical efficiencies of the grid. With midlevel ethanol blends the carbon efficiencies of stand alone cars will surpass the grid. If you plug in you will dirty more air and create more CO2. Even per todays standards the Prius hybrid is already about parity. One study claimed the country could do more with the Prius technology and natural gas as compared to the long and expensive path of battery car. The meger wind and solar is nothing but a starting point even after what ten years of construction. Hydro, nuclear, wind and solar better left to lighting the carbon intensity of conventional grid power let alone tapping it for transportation. We can talk about that after pulling the plug on coal and natural gas power plants.
Posted by: Trees | 22 March 2017 at 06:17 AM
"The new fuel standard being developed.."
The 2020-2025 fuel economy goals are about to be wiped out.
Posted by: SJC | 22 March 2017 at 02:26 PM