swissauto - News
Success for the Formula Hybrid Team of ETH Zürich
The team of the ETH in Zürich wins their first race of the formula hybrid with the swissauto 250 single cylinder engine as the powerplant.
At the race over 50 km distance, the Co2 emissions was reduced over 40% in comparison of a standard drive train.
The enthusiams is very well visible at the students faces.
Last week, they won their first race of the formula hybrid compettition in Orbassano ( Italy ) with their own and completely new designed race car.
The students of the involved departments of the MAVT and the ITET of the ETH in Zürich and the technical highscool in Lucerne has designed their own race car for the first time, and alrady at the first race, they was successful on an impressive way. With the support and the quideance of the IMRT of the ETH Zürich, the students could use their theoretical know how to built such a new vehicle. With the support of swissauto WENKO AG, the small and efficient combustion engine was integrated and optimized to fullfill the needs of this hybrid race car.
The achieved results was very impressive:
- At the race over a distance of 50 km, the CO2- emissions was reduced for over 40% compared to a regular drive train system.
- The very strict safety rules in regards of driving dynamics and braking was fullfilled.
- The acceleration from 0 to 62.5 mph was clocked with a value of 3.7 seconds, which was a new record for those vehicles.[1]
The car with two hearts
The drive train of the Hybrid vehicle integrates a strong electro motor and the all new designed and optimized swissauto 250 single cylinder engine, which was specifically optimized for internal losses. Both engines together can produce up to 100 kW in parallel use and can rev up to 11'000 rpm. They are connected over a clutch to allwo a pure electric drive. The gearbox combined with a differential gear unit can bring up to 1400 Nm to the wheels. During braking, the kinetic energy is gained back over the electric drive motor, which is working as a generator in this case and stored back into the batteries.
Due to the efficient drive system and the very efficient combustion engine, this system is capable to be used als in daily usage to help reducing the Co2 emissions and the fuel consumption. To do so, the students are well trained now with their gained knowledge.
[1] The former hybrid record, set in 2008 at a race in New Hampshire (USA) was cut by half a second.
