Stop-start systems are a virtually universal feature of hybrid electric vehicles all over the world. They are an integral part of hybrid powertrain strategies because they work well in increasing a car’s fuel efficiency in urban driving that often involves stop-and-go traffic, when a car is standing still and running at idle.

Now stop-start features are migrating beyond hybrids to conventional vehicles. As one example, the new 2013 Ford Fusion is the first non-hybrid, midsize sedan that can be ordered with the automaker’s Auto Start-Stop system. As with other similar systems, when the Fusion comes to a stop the engine automatically switches off to conserve fuel. Remove your foot from the brake pedal and the engine restarts and is ready to go by the time the accelerator pedal is pressed.

How important is this? In the scheme of things, widespread deployment of such systems in new car models of all types could save more fuel than you’d think. In fact, a study by the U.S. Treasury Department estimates that congestion consumed an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel last year alone. That’s about five percent of all fuel used in the U.S. in 2011. Any measures that can decrease fuel burned during periods of congestion are worth pursuing.

This is especially true if there’s a solid cost-benefit case to be made. That’s happening at Ford with its Auto Start-Stop feature that’s being made available as a $295 option on 1.6-liter EcoBoost-powered Fusions sold in the U.S. The automaker says that Auto Start-Stop improves fuel efficiency by about 3.5 percent overall, although those who drive mainly in city traffic can save up to 10 percent. Ford points out it’s possible for drivers who step up to its optional Auto Start-Stop system to save as much as $1100 over five years at today’s fuel prices when compared to midsize competitors. As an environmental benefit, there are no smog-forming exhaust emissions or CO2 greenhouse gases being generated while the engine is shut down in stopped traffic. Anything that can be done to decrease vehicle emissions in urban areas is a good thing.

Besides EcoBoost engines with Auto Start-Stop, Fusions feature other fuel saving technologies like electric power steering that eliminates the engine-driven hydraulic pump, lines, and fluid. There are also six-speed transmissions enabling engines to run more efficiently by always selecting the best gear for top fuel economy.

For 2013 Fusion models, consumers can choose from five fuel-efficient powertrains. Ford’s ‘Power of Choice’ program includes two EcoBoost-powered gasoline engines with up to 37 mpg, a normally-aspirated four-cylinder engine, the Fusion Hybrid with a projected 47 mpg, and the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid delivering up to 100 MPGe (miles-per-gallon equivalent).

 

The future of electrified vehicles seems to be on two tracks – upscale performance sports cars and lower-cost city cars. Infiniti is one of several marques on the growing list of automakers apparently poised to develop the former, or at least explore the technology for high performance electric cars.

Infiniti’s Emerge-E Concept features two synchronous DC brushless motors, one driving each of the rear wheels. Located midship, each electric motor produces 201 horsepower for a total of 402 hp. With 738 lb-ft torque available over the entire rpm range, the 3516 pound two-seater can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just four seconds and from zero to 130 mph in 30 seconds. Top speed is 130 mph.

Electrical energy is stored in a 14.8 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion phosphate battery located behind the seat to provide an electric-only range of 30 miles. Like the Chevy Volt, this is a series hybrid with a 47 horsepower, gasoline engine-generator range extender that provides a total driving range of 300 miles.

Lotus Engineering supplied the 1.2 liter three-cylinder engine. A single-speed Xtrac transmission is used. To keep things light weight, the Infiniti Emerge-E Concept has carbon fiber bodywork over a bonded extruded aluminum chassis. It's also slippery with a drag coefficient of 0.34.

While the design originated in Japan, an unexpected opportunity to advance the project materialized through Britain’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB). Its goal is to speed the development of low carbon vehicles for the UK. Besides co-funding from the TSB, the collaboration provided access to highly innovative suppliers and universities.

Not only is this Infiniti's first mid-ship sports car, it is the first Infiniti developed in Europe, primarily led by Nissan Design Europe in London and built by Nissan’s European Technical Centre in Cranfield. Infiniti is producing two fully functioning Emerge-E prototypes. However, a production model is not currently planned and the technology is more likely to make it to market in other Infiniti products.

 

VW is adding a natural gas version of its 2013 Golf to its offerings in Europe. The bi-fuel EcoFuel Golf has two CNG cylinders mounted beneath the floor providing a range of about 260 miles. A 13 gallon gasoline tank delivers an additional driving range of 540 miles, for a noteworthy total range of 800 miles between fill-ups.

The natural gas Golf, electric Blue e-Motion Golf variant, and their conventional counterparts are based on the automaker’s MQB architecture that standardizes component parameters among many models. The strategy allows the use of common components across brands, vehicle classes, and even diverse models produced for European, American, Chinese, and growing Indian markets.

MQB, an acronym for the German phrase Modularer Querbaukasten that roughly translates to ‘Modular Transverse Matrix,’ will first be used by the Golf and the successor to the Audi A3. Audi, SKODA, and SEAT A- and B-segment cars will ultimately use the common MQB design strategy. Future VWs using MQB include Polo, Beetle, Scirocco, Jetta, Tiguan, Touran, Sharan, Passat, and CC models.

The key ingredient of the MQB concept is a uniform mounting position for all engines, initially starting with the new EA211 and EA288 modular engine families. This allows a variety of transverse, front-engine, front-wheel drive models to be designed using the same set of components. In addition to standardizing conventional internal combustion engines, the MQB can be used with current alternative drive concepts including hybrid and battery electric vehicles.

Outputs of EA211 four-cylinder engines range from 54 to 148 horsepower. Among them is the world’s first four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation. The natural gas EcoFuel variant uses a 1.4 liter engine that makes 109 horsepower. There is also the EA288 MBD (modular diesel engine system) rated at 88.5 to 188 horsepower.

VW's engine and gearbox variants in the MQB system will be reduced by about 90 percent. In the future, both high-volume and niche models of different brands could theoretically be produced on the same assembly line, even if they have different wheelbases and track width. An additional benefit is enabling the use of luxury class technologies in lower cost, high-volume models. As just one example, VW plans 20 such innovations in the areas of safety and infotainment. These, until now, were reserved for more upscale models.

 

Repurposing spent electric car batteries is a smart move that can keep them out of the waste stream and provide value to seemingly useless products. This line of thought is gaining believers because it addresses both environmental and economic challenges. 

One of the major hurdles holding back the widespread popularity of electric vehicles is their battery cost. The retail price of EVs could be cut drastically if batteries retained a high residual value after they could no longer power electric vehicles, especially if EV batteries were leased separately rather than sold with an electric car.  

Actually, EV batteries should retain high residual values. On average, electric car batteries that cannot hold sufficient charge for motive use can still retain as much as 70 percent of their energy storage capacity, even after eight to 10 years of use powering a car. Several projects are now underway aimed at establishing a secondary battery market for these spent batteries.

Since most EVs battery packs are modular, individual modules could be reconfigured for other applications like powering electric bikes. The most promising application is to integrate several into a ‘grid energy storage box’ to provide temporary power during a utility outage, or to handle peak grid demands.

Nissan North America, working with power-transmission equipment manufacturer. ABB, Sumitomo Corp. of America, and 4R Energy Corporation, is looking at using spent lithium-ion batteries such as those used in the Nissan LEAF. The goal is to use these batteries for energy storage by utility companies and as community power sources. A 50 kilowatt-hour battery storage prototype now under development could power 15 homes for two hours. Nissan already sells a system in Japan that enables the LEAF to serve as a backup electricity storage system for homes.

General Motors, also working with ABB, is investigating applications for the 16 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack used in the Chevrolet Volt. Again, the emphasis is on using recycled batteries for electrical grid storage and grid load leveling, including use with intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

In yet another example, Duke Energy is working with ITOCHU Corp. in finding  second-life applications for lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries. Duke Energy has a fleet of 80 Think City plug-ins with lithium-ion batteries, so a ready-made supply will be available down the road.

 

Advanced powerplants represent but one method of gaining better fuel efficiency. In the propulsion realm, high-tech transmissions also play an important role. Their evolution is notable. In earlier years, cars came with three-speed manual transmissions while automatics had only two or three gear ratios. Today, five-speed manuals are the rule with some high performance cars upping the ante to six. Automatics have at least four or as many as nine speeds. Hyundai is developing a 10-speed automatic.

Gasoline and diesel engines produce the greatest horsepower and torque, plus use the least fuel, while operating over a relatively narrow rpm range. The more gear ratios in a transmission, the greater the ability to operate an engine within this optimum rpm range.  Eighteen-wheel big rig trucks have as many as 18 speeds in their transmissions for this reason. Incidentally, since electric motors produce peak torque (but not peak horsepower) essentially from zero to maximum rpm, electric vehicles get by quite nicely with a single speed transmission.

Transmission manufacturer ZF calculates that an eight-speed automatic transmission by itself can bring a 21 to 24 percent improvement in fuel economy over a three-speed automatic. ZF eight-speeds are already available in several Audi, BMW, Chrysler, and Lexus products. A ZF eight-speed provides an 11 percent fuel savings compared to a ZF six-speed transmission, and a 14 percent improvement versus a five-speed transmission. ZF has also developed a nine-speed transmission that could first be used in a Chrysler model, bringing with it up to a 16 percent improvement over a six-speed.

An added benefit is that with more ratios available, engines don’t work as hard and thus experience less stress and wear. This means they’re likely to last longer and require less maintenance. Engines running at lower rpms at high cruising speeds are also quieter. Today's multi-speed automatic transmissions make imperceptible gear changes even under high loads.

Multi-speed transmissions are no longer burdened with the fuel economy and performance compromises once inherent with older automatics. Today, EPA mileage ratings for many vehicles are identical when equipped with automatic and manual transmissions, and in some cases automatics are better. This is in stark contrast to just a few years ago when there was a wide difference, and the reason why people seeking the greatest efficiency often opted for manual transmissions.

The success of today's multi-speed automatics can largely be attributed to advanced electronics and on-board computers. They can shift through the gears more effectively than all but the most accomplished drivers, providing efficient gear transitions ranging from performance crisp to luxury smooth depending on vehicle type and the target customer.

The importance of these advanced transmissions will only grow as discerning buyers select their new car purchases in a competitive market where fuel efficiency continues to be considered a buying imperative.