Hypercar

Pollution Prevention
Michelle Bates

What is a Hypercar?
Ultralight, Low-Drag, Hybrid-Electric Vehicle
(HEV)
2 Sources of energy:
Fuel cells, gas turbines, diesels, lean burn gasoline
engines
Flywheels, batteries, ultracapacitors

2 Drive trains
Internal Combustion Engine- gas or alt. fuels
Battery driven electric

Drivesystems
Conventional
Internal combustion engine coupled to wheels
through the transmission, driveshaft, etc.

Hybrid-Electric
Engine (or other power source) generates
electricity from fuel, which then powers electric
motors that turn the wheels

Six Main Sources of Energy Loss

in a Conventional Car:

Hypercar Strategies to Reduce

Energy Losses
Ultralight
1994 Average U.S. Passenger car 1439 kg
2000-2005 Hypercar (4-5 seat) 521 kg

Low Aerodynamic Drag

Hybrid-Electric Drivesystem
Efficient Accessories

Ultralight
Composites
Embed strong reinforcing fibers in a supporting "matrix"
of polymer

Advanced Composites
Long or continuous reinforcing fibers such as carbon or
aramid (kevlar) in addition to glass

Advanced Composite Materials

Advantages
- 50-65% reduction in
weight
- Crashworthy
- Design Flexibility
- Durability
- Manufacturing

Disadvantages
- $

GMs 1991 Ultralite Concept Car

Mass Decompounding

Low-Drag Aerodynamic Design

Smooth underbody
Low-angle windshields
Tapered rear end
Minimized body seams
Aerodynamically designed air intakes,
suspension, and wheel wells
Result: 40-50% decrease in drag

Rolling Resistance
1/3 engine output lost
Solution
lightweight car
tire improvements
improved wheel
bearing and brake
design

Reduction in rolling
resistance by 50-80%

Hybrid-Electric Drive
Series
Engine with generator
to supply electricity for
battery pack and
electric motor
No mechanical
connection
Power transferred
electrically to wheel
motor

Parallel
Direct mechanical
connection between
hybrid power unit and
wheels
Electric motor drives
the wheels
Example

Hybrid-Electric Drive
Series

Parallel

Hybrid-Electric Drive
Generate electricity
from the fuel, powers
wheel motors
Electric motors can
recover part of the
braking energy
Wheel Motor

Hybrid-Electric Drive
Large decrease in engine size
reduces weight, cost, fuel consumption

Drive system efficiency doubled

Efficient Accessories
Avoid heat buildup by using:
Insulation, special heat-reflecting glass, solarpowered vent fans
Innovative cooling and dehumidification systems
Improved headlights and taillights

More efficient electronics and interior

lighting systems

Hypercar

Whole Systems Approach

Optimizing parts individually results in
inefficiency overall
Hypercar is cost effective when the entire
system is designed for efficiency

Hypercar Safety
Advanced composites
Smaller propulsion system
room at both ends of the car for materials
dedicated to crash energy management

Front and side airbags, harnesses with

pretensioners and stress-limiters, padding,
active headrests

Pollution Prevention
Hypercars would go roughly 2-4 times
farther on a unit of fuel
decreased overall carbon dioxide emissions
lower emissions per vehicle mile traveled

Alternative fuels

Fuel Efficiency

Life Cycle Assessment

Advanced Composites are durable
wont rust, dent or chip

Total weight is much less, so there is less

pure waste produced

Current Status
Hypercars do not currently exist
Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) do exist
Chrysler, Ford and GM
Year 2000 prototype HEVs
Year 2003 release HEVs on the U.S. market

Department of Energy HEV Propulsion

Program
Funds 50% of development costs

Toyotas Hybrid-Electric Prius

Sedan

Japanese market for one year

Not ultralight (weighs 330 lbs. more)
66 miles per gallon
Emissions reduced to 1/10th the
Japanese legal requirement
U.S. market year 2000

Toyota Prius
Engine
Engine
Output
Fuel
Efficiency
Max.
Range
ABS
Price

Toyota Camry

1.5-liter, 16
valve, 4-cyl
58 hp at 4,000
rpm

2.2-liter, 16
valve, 4-cyl
136 hp at 5,200
rpm

66 mpg

23 mpg

850 miles
Standard

500 miles
Optional

~$20,000

$17,873

Future Projections
Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs)
One tenth of new cars sold in five U.S. states by
2004

Half of all vehicles Hypercars by 2020

Overall fuel consumption 25 percent less than
today's level

Battery Electric Cars vs. HybridElectric Cars

Battery Electric
Run on electricity stored in
onboard batteries
Gasoline contains 100 times
more energy per pound than
batteries
Several thousand pounds of
batteries (mass compounding)
Range less than 150 miles

Battery Electric Cars vs. HybridElectric Cars

Battery-Electric
Batteries must be
replaced every few
years
Batteries cost $2000$15,000 each
Batteries not
recyclable
Emission shifting

GMs EV1

Battery Electric Cars vs. HybridElectric Cars

Hybrid-Electric Cars
Wheels powered by electric motor or motors,
convert fuel into energy as they go
Alternative fuel sources (Ex: renewable fuel
cells)
Decrease carbon dioxide emissions
Increased engine and drive systems efficiency
Mass decompounding

Economic Impacts: The Winners

Makers of power electronics, microelectronics,
advanced electric motors and small engines,
alternative power plants and storage devices, and
software
Composite materials, structures, and tooling and
manufacturing equipment suppliers
Providers of polymers, fibers, coatings, and
adhesives for the composites industry
Aerospace firms

Economic Impacts: Losers

Iron and steel industries (a Hypercar has
92% less iron and steel)
Heavy machine tools
Oil for motor fuel
Automotive fluids and lubricants

For More Information

The Hypercar Center
www.hypercarcenter.org

Hybrid Electric Vehicle Program

www.hev.doe.gov

Rocky Mountain Institute

www.rmi.org

Toyota Prius
www.toyota.com