Operations
The use of a motor that drives a wheel directly eliminates the conventional mechanical transmission components: gearbox, differential and transmission lines, and can sometimes eliminate flexible links. This provides great simplicity. If the motors are integrated into the wheels of a disadvantage is that the increased mass is not suspended and the suspension decreases the responsiveness that affect the performance and security that can walk. However, the impact should be minimal if you like electric motors on the wheel hubs, such as Hi-Pa Drive, can be very small and lightweight with an exceptional power to weight ratio. The braking mechanisms may be lighter than the brake wheel of the vehicle engines. Aluminum wheels can be used to reduce the mass of the wheels is not suspended. Vehicle designs can be optimized to reduce the mechanical center of gravity and heavy bank of batteries at ground level. If the engines are attached to the bodywork of the vehicle, yet flexible links are required. Advantages of individual wheel motors include simplified traction control and all wheel drive if necessary, allowing lower floors, making it useful for buses. Some 8x8 vehicles for military use a total traction motor on each wheel. diesel-electric locomotives have used this concept over 60 years.
On a normal road vehicle, the configuration of the entire series hybrid transmission power can be smaller and lighter than the equivalent configuration of conventional mechanical power transmission, liberating space and less weight. As the generator set only requires combustion engines to drive electrical cables, there is greater flexibility in the design of the main components distributed in the donor vehicle weight distribution and maximize the space above the cabin of the vehicle. This flexibility can lead to higher vehicle designs.
In 1997, Toyota launched the first hybrid bus series sold in Japan. Meanwhile, GM expects to introduce the Chevy Volt in 2011 with the goal of a fully electric range of 40 miles and a price of around $ 40,000. Combined with a bank of supercapacitors lithium ion battery have been used by AFS Trinity in a vehicle converted Saturn Vue SUV. Using supercapacitors to claim up to 150 miles per gallon in a series-hybrid arrangement.