While hybrid vehicles have a clear advantage over non-hybrid vehicles in city driving, their advantage at highway speeds all but disappear. Honda has recognized this hybrid flaw and has developed a system that can make its hybrid vehicles more efficient on the highway.
Honda’s new system — which uses a Rankine cycle engine — harnesses the car’s exhaust in order to turn water into steam. That steam is then used to turn a generator which recharges the car’s batteries.
According to EcoGeek.org, the new system is currently installed in a Japanese-spec Honda Stream and, despite being only 13% efficient, the system generates 3 times as much energy as regenerative braking. And because the system uses exhaust heat, it can recoup energy at almost energy at anytime, not just during braking.
But despite the break through, Honda doesn’t have any plans to install the system on production cars any time soon. The system still needs quite a bit of tweaking to make it more efficient and to bring its cost down.
02/21, 11:16 AM
posted by:
JSP
I read about a similar system by BMW a while back. They should collaborate to speed up the process of R&D and deliver the technology to us sooner.
02/21, 11:50 AM
posted by:
SwerveEarly
Steam driven generators are very high maintenance. Hybrids need to simplify not add more complex and costly systems.
02/21, 12:14 PM
posted by:
Z06ified
BMW has been looking at this technology for years. Conclusion has been its not efficient enough to bother, adds too much weight and cost too.
02/21, 12:27 PM
posted by:
casualobserver
Smart. This captures real energy which is being wasted, much like dual-cycle powerplants have been doing for years. Admittedly this is complex, but if it works, you could also harness the energy wasted by the cooling system as well. Something like 70% of the energy content of fuel is wasted through the exhaust and radiator.
Perhaps they could do this simpler with a Sterling engine
02/21, 1:45 PM
posted by:
Scarface03
With more stringent fuel economy standards in both Europe and the U.S., I think we may see other, previuosly-deemed-not-worth-our-time technologies resurrected and given full consideration.
I don’t know anything about the weight issues, but this sounds like a good idea.
02/21, 1:55 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Oh good. Another way to drive the price of Hybrids even further. There are other ways to make cars fuel efficient. Weight and aerodynamics are a good place to start. Of course when the government mandates that everything has to survive a head on collision with a Kenworth it becomes increasingly difficult for mainstream automakers to go that route.
02/21, 2:03 PM
posted by:
horvatic
Hybrids on the highway real world still get 50 MPG. The myth that hybrids lose there efficiency when driving on the highway is total non-sense. My brothers 2006 toyota Prius does between 47 MPG to 51 MPG doing highway trips up to Redding, CA from San Jose, CA. There quite efficient in town or on the highway.
02/21, 2:06 PM
posted by:
horvatic
Another myth that should be displaced is that hybrids only run on the electric power at 25 mph or less. Non-sense again. I’ve been in the Prius doing more than 50 mph and watched it go into electric power mode. Typically when this happens is when the road is very flat or slightly down hill.
02/21, 2:57 PM
posted by:
MY Si
Now thats HOT! Get it? Hot? Oh i crack myself up.
02/21, 6:06 PM
posted by:
crosscoupling
The auto manufacturers seem to be in a phase of Paradigm paralysis…
Thermo electric generators (TEG’s) may be another effective option which uses refrigrants at lower boiling points compared to water and operates on a Rankine cycle may produce more power. Micro turbines may a low weight power and heat source to couple with the TEG’s.
I wonder if flow battries are options Auto manufacturers are considering, in which can you can pump in fresh electrolyte (like gas) to charge your car battries instead of plug in hybrids.
02/23, 1:04 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
LLn needs to get some learnin’ on that there subject-verb agreement. I really think one of you nerds is on its staff.