The Georgia Tech EcoCAR
Overview of Design Strategy
The Georgia Tech team has investigated several hybrid vehicle architectures and components to determine which will allow the team to achieve the competition goals of:
- - Increasing vehicle mileage
- - Decreasing net WTW GHG emissions
- - Decreasing WTW petroleum consumption
- - Maintaining vehicle performance and consumer accepibility
The GT team has decided to implement a split hybrid powertrain, where the vehicle dynamically changes between parallel and series operational modes. The powertrain consists of a 1.6L SI dedicated E85 engine paired to GM's 2-Mode hybrid transmission. On-board energy is stored with a lithium-ion battery pack developed by A123 Systems, Inc.
E85 was chosen as the vehicle fuel as a result of its large net WTW GHG and petroleum reductions. In addition, the higher quality of E85 fuel (compared to gasoline) allows for more efficient and higher power engine operation. The GT team has plans for several engine modifications to aggressively pursue efficiency gains while also improving vehicle performance. Even if all ethanol consumed by this vehicle is produced from corn (the least efficient process), the GT vehicle is projected to reduce net WTW GHG emissions by >50% and WTW petroleum consumption by >75%.
Further operational results will be posted as verified.