Development of New Powertrain System for the Global Deployment of Hybrid Vehicles

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">A new hybrid system has been developed to increase the permissible system weight and raise dynamic performance/system efficiency for the global rollout of Honda's electric vehicles.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The powertrain consists of a 2.0L direct injection engine, a Front Drive Unit (FDU) with a built-in traction motor/generator and gear that directly transmit engine torque to the wheels (engine driving gear), a Power Control Unit (PCU) mounted on the FDU, and an Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) mounted under the cargo area.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The FDU has a higher RPM (+12%) and higher torque (+6%) traction motor for enhanced launch acceleration performance and maximum vehicle speed settings tailored to regional needs.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">In addition, a new engine driving gear for low-speed driving has been added to heighten system efficiency by avoiding traction motor driving in low-speed, high-load areas where electrical losses are high, and instead using a driving mode with an engine driving gear (ENGINE MODE).</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">In uphill towing, where the conventional system used to use a motor, the ENGINE MODE can suppress the heat generated by the motor, enabling the same towing performance as the conventional system to be provided to heavier vehicle types.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">By reducing the diameter of the generator and changing the structure of the traction motor/generator from a coaxial arrangement to a parallel axis arrangement, the system can be installed in the same engine compartment as before while accommodating the addition of engine driving gear.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The development of this powertrain system has achieved a 10% increase in permissible system weight and a 12% increase in maximum vehicle speed.</div></div>