Eco Factor: Low-emission drivetrain prototype.
Valentin Technologies is exploring a new kind of a hybrid drivetrain for a 5-passenger vehicle that promises outstanding performance. The drivetrain explores the possibilities of a different kind of a hybrid, where the gas engine is not used to generate electricity for the motors, but instead to pressurize a high-pressure tank.
Instead of using a mechanical drivetrain, the hydraulic fluid under pressure is distributed to run hydraulic motors in each of the four wheels. Since batteries are a very heavy component of electric hybrid cars, the vehicle’s hydraulic system is claimed to reduce the load by weighing nearly half as much.
The hydraulic wheelmotors reduce the load even further as they are lighter than the disc brakes they replace in a conventional car. Moreover, hydraulic braking is more efficient than electrical regenerative braking, which ensures that the energy lost during stop-and-go city driving is also minimized.
Via: Inhabitat
