VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP — Ricardo, the leading independent provider of technology, product innovations and engineering solutions, today announced details of advanced research projects in which the company is involved as it helps to develop technologies that will enable the next generation of low carbon vehicles.
“Ricardo has developed an unprecedented wide range of low carbon technology demonstrator vehicles,” said Dave Greenwood, head of Ricardo hybrid and electric systems product group. “These include fully electric and range extended hybrid vehicles, an advanced gasoline architecture based on ‘intelligent electrification’, which sets a new benchmark in downsized engine fuel-efficiency, and a state-of-the-art highly optimized diesel concept.”
Ricardo has long been a global leader in leading clean technology innovations and industry firsts. It has the in-house capability to design and develop from scratch electric and hybrid vehicle systems, from electric motors and range extender APUs to power electronics modules and control systems. In addition, the company is able to design and develop cost-effective energy management technologies – including its own Kinergy high-speed flywheel device – through lightweight, energy-efficient vehicle architectures.
Greenwood added, “Taken together, Ricardo’s demonstrator vehicles are able to illustrate a comprehensive range of extremely practical, low carbon powertrain technology solutions, each of which comprises many constituent technologies and innovations that will be of interest to automakers for future product programs in the years ahead.”
The company is also active in the development of intelligent mobility systems, the most recent example of which was in collaboration with Volvo and other European partners of the Ricardo-led SARTRE project to demonstrate a practical implementation of road train technology aimed at improving both safety and fuel efficiency on the public highway. Ricardo will feature an array of vehicles and technologies at the 2012 Low Carbon Vehicle event (LCV 2012) in the U.K. in September. Among the research vehicles to feature at the LCV 2012 show will be the Volvo XC60, a Ricardo demonstrator based on this popular Volvo SUV, and a Land Rover Freelander RE-EV, a range-extended EV demonstrator powered by a Ricardo-designed APU based on the Fiat TwinAir engine.
In addition, the results of two Technology Strategy Board partnerships will also be on show: the Hyboost, a project to demonstrate the benefits of extreme engine downsizing through the implementation of intelligent electrification – developed in collaboration with a Controlled Power Technologies, the European Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium, Ford, Imperial College London and Valeo – and the Syner-D vehicle, developed with JLR, Valeo, SKF, Lontra and Shell, that targets cost-effective CO2 reduction in a premium segment diesel vehicle, and has delivered a demonstrator offering approximately 30 percent CO2 reduction while meeting Euro 6 emissions with uncompromised drivability.
