Is globalisation an enabler of radical innovation in Toyota?

Prior evidence from the fields of innovation management and supplier relations predicts that Japanese firms should be naturally disadvantaged in developing and deploying radical innovations. But this conclusion is inconsistent with recent developments in the automotive industry. This paper presents secondary case study data focusing on fuel cell powered vehicles and hybrid cars to show that Toyota, one of Japan's largest and most influential corporations, is capable of developing radically new technologies, and is in several respects better at this sort of innovation than the rest of the global automotive industry.

Vehicle energy throughput analysis as a drivetrain motor design aid

There are many variables to consider in the design of an electric motor. However, meeting the performance requirements for an electric vehicle drive may cause a designer to loose focus on its typical operation and hence fail to optimise the motor in the region where it processes the most power. This paper investigates operating requirements of electric vehicle motor drives using the University concept vehicle as an example. The paper outlines a methodology for determining primary operating region of a vehicle drive. The methodology is applied to standard driving cycles that are commonly used in the design and testing of vehicles.

The UltraCommuter : a viable and desirable solar-powered commuter vehicle

The University of Queensland UltraCommuter project is the demonstration of an ultra-light weight, low drag, energy efficient and low polluting, electric commuter vehicle equipped with a 2.5m2 on-board solar array. A key goal of the project is to make the vehicle predominantly self-sufficient from solar power for normal driving purposes , so that it does not require charging or refuelling from off-board sources. This paper examines the technical feasibility of the solar-powered commuter vehicle concept, as it applies the UltraCommuter project. A parametric description of a solar-powered commuter vehicle is presented. Real solar insolation data is then used to predict the solar driving range for the UltraCommuter and this is compared to typical urban usage patterns for commuter vehicles in Queensland. A comparative analysis of annual greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle is also presented. The results show that the UltraCommuter’s on-board solar array can provide substantial supplementation of the energy required for normal driving, powering 90% of annual travel needs for an average QLD passenger vehicle. The vehicle also has excellent potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from the private transport sector, achieving a 98% reduction in CO2 emissions when compared to the average QLD passenger vehicle. Lastly, the vehicle battery pack provides for tolerance to consecutive days of poor weather without resorting to grid charging, giving uninterrupted functionality to the user. These results hold great promise for the technical feasibility of the solar-powered commuter vehicle concept.

Lifecycle costs of ultracapacitors in electric vehicle applications

The pulse power characteristics of ultracapacitors appear well suited to electric vehicle applications, where they may supply the peak power more efficiently than the battery, and can prevent excessive over sizing of the battery pack due to peak power demands. Operation of ultracapacitors in battery electric vehicles is examined for possible improvements in system efficiency, vehicle driving range, battery pack lifetime, and potential reductions in system lifecycle cost. The lifecycle operation of these ultracapacitors is simulated using custom-built, dynamic simulation code constructed in Matlab. Despite apparent gains in system efficiency and driving range, the results strongly suggest that the inclusion of ultracapacitors in the electric vehicle does not make sense from a lifecycle cost perspective. Furthermore, a comparison with results from earlier work shows that this outcome is highly dependant upon the efficiency and cost of the battery under consideration. However, it is likely that the lifecycle cost benefits of ultracapacitors in these electric vehicles would be, at most, marginal and do not justify the additional capital costs and system complexity that would be incurred in the vehicle

Design optimisation of ironless motors based on magnet selection

This paper considers the design of a radial flux permanent magnet iron less core brushless DC motor for use in an electric wheel drive with an integrated epicyclic gear reduction. The motor has been designed for a continuous output torque of 30 Nm and peak rating of 60 Nm with a maximum operating speed of 7000 RPM. In the design of brushless DC motors with a toothed iron stator the peak air-gap magnetic flux density is typically chosen to be close to that of the remanence value of the magnets used. This paper demonstrates that for an ironless motor the optimal peak air-gap flux density is closer to the maximum energy product of the magnets used. The use of a radial flux topology allows for high frequency operation and can be shown to give high specific power output while maintaining a relatively low magnet mass. Two-dimensional finite element analysis is used to predict the air-gap flux density. The motor design is based around commonly available NdFeB bar magnet size

Design optimisation of ironless motors based on magnet selection

This paper considers the design of a radial flux permanent magnet ironless core brushless DC motor for use in an electric wheel drive with an integrated epicyclic gear reduction. The motor has been designed for a continuous output torque of 30 Nm and peak rating of 60 Nm with a maximum operating speed of 7000 RPM. In the design of brushless DC motors with a toothed iron stator the peak air-gap magnetic flux density is typically chosen to be close to that of the remanence value of the magnets used. This paper demonstrates that for an ironless motor the optimal peak air-gap flux density is closer to the maximum energy product of the magnets used. The use of a radial flux topology allows for high frequency operation and can be shown to give high specific power output while maintaining a relatively low magnet mass. Two-dimensional finite element analysis is used to predict the airgap flux density. The motor design is based around commonly available NdFeB bar magnet size

A method of switch selection for an electric vehicle drive

The key to reducing cost of electric vehicles is integration. All too often systems such as the motor, motor controller, batteries and vehicle chassis/body are considered as separate problems. The truth is that a lot of trade-offs can be made between these systems, causing an overall improvement in many areas including total cost. Motor controller and battery cost have a relatively simple relationship; the less energy lost in the motor controller the less energy that has to be carried in the batteries, hence the lower the battery cost. A motor controller’s cost is primarily influenced by the cost of the switches. This paper will therefore present a method of assessing the optimal switch selection on the premise that the optimal switch is the one that produces the lowest system cost, where system cost is the cost of batteries + switches.

Migrating to a sustainable energy system : distributed generation and storage, fuel cells and hypercars

This paper examines a number of issues in sustainable energy generation and distribution, and explores avenues that are available for integration of our society’s energy supplies. In particular, the paper presents a way in which transport vehicle energy supplies could be integrated with distributed generation schemes to achieve synergistic and beneficial outcomes. The worldwide energy system contains fundamental problems that result directly from the use of unsustainable fuels and a lack of energy system integration. There is a need to adopt an integrated, sustainable energy system for our society. The adoption of distributed generation could result in beneficial restructuring of the energy trade, and a change in the role of energy providers. Inherent benefits in distributed generation schemes would directly combat barriers to installation of renewable generation facilities, which might prove distributed renewable energy sources to be more feasible. The presence of fuel cells, batteries, power electronic inverters and intelligent controls in vehicles of the future provides many opportunities for the integration of vehicle energy supplies into a distributed generation scheme. In such a system, vehicles could play a major role in power generation and storage.

A DC circuit breaker for an electric vehicle battery pack

Electric vehicle battery packs require DC circuit breakers for safety. These must break thousands of Amps DC at hundreds of Volts. The Sunshark solar racing car has a 140V 17Ahr battery box which needs such a breaker. A static design using 200V MOSFETs to interrupt the fault current is presented. The design specification, decisions and proposed solution circuit are given. The current sensing technique,MOSFET overvoltage protection, and DC bus capacitor precharging scheme are specific focuses. Simulation results are presented and discussed.

State of Charge of Lead Acid Battery

Lead acid batteries are used in hybrid vehicles and telecommunications power supply. For reliable operation of these systems, an indication of state of charge of battery is essential. To determine the state of charge of battery, current integration method combined with open circuit voltage, is being implemented. To reduce the error in the current integration method the dependence of available capacity as a function of discharge current is determined. The current integration method is modified to incorporate this factor. The experimental setup built to obtain the discharge characterstics of the battery is presented.

State of Charge of Lead Acid Battery

Lead acid batteries are used in hybrid vehicles and telecommunications power supply. For reliable operation of these systems, an indication of state of charge of battery is essential. To determine the state of charge of battery, current integration method combined with open circuit voltage, is being implemented. To reduce the error in the current integration method the dependence of available capacity as a function of discharge current is determined. The current integration method is modified to incorporate this factor. The experimental setup built to obtain the discharge characterstics of the battery is presented

State of Charge of Lead Acid Battery

Lead acid batteries are used in hybrid vehicles and telecommunications power supply. For reliable operation of these systems, an indication of state of charge of battery is essential. To determine the state of charge of battery, current integration method combined with open circuit voltage, is being implemented. To reduce the error in the current integration method the dependence of available capacity as a function of discharge current is determined. The current integration method is modified to incorporate this factor. The experimental setup built to obtain the discharge characterstics of the battery is presented.

Sulfate Chemistry for High-Voltage Insertion Materials: Synthetic, Structural and Electrochemical Insights

Rechargeable batteries based on Li and Na ions have been growing leaps and bounds since their inception in the 1970s. They enjoy significant attention from both the fundamental science point of view and practical applications ranging from portable electronics to hybrid vehicles and grid storage. The steady demand for building better batteries calls for discovery, optimisation and implementation of novel positive insertion (cathode) materials. In this quest, chemists have tried to unravel many future cathode materials by taking into consideration their eco-friendly synthesis, material/process economy, high energy density, safety, easy handling and sustainability. Interestingly, sulfate-based cathodes offer a good combination of sustainable syntheses and high energy density owing to their high-voltage operation, stemming from electronegative SO42- units. This review delivers a sneak peak at the recent advances in the discovery and development of sulfate-containing cathode materials by focusing on their synthesis, crystal structure and electrochemical performance. Several family of cathodes are independently discussed. They are 1) fluorosulfates AMSO(4)F], 2) bihydrated fluorosulfates AMSO(4)F2H(2)O], 3) hydroxysulfate AMSO(4)OH], 4) bisulfates A(2)M(SO4)(2)], 5) hydrated bisulfates A(2)M(SO4)(2)nH(2)O], 6) oxysulfates Fe-2(SO4)(2)O] and 7) polysulfates A(2)M(2)(SO4)(3)]. A comparative study of these sulfate-based cathodes has been provided to offer an outlook on the future development of high-voltage polyanionic cathode materials for next-generation batteries.

Um Sistema de Informações Geográficas para Gestão de Energia Elétrica Móvel - SIGGENELM

Um problema que as empresas distribuidoras de energia elétrica convivem são as quedas repentinas no fornecimento, causando inúmeros prejuízos tanto para essas empresas quanto para seus consumidores. Essa dissertação apresentará uma ferramenta que utilizará conhecimentos de sistemas de informações geográficas junto com o uso de inferência nebulosa para orientar a disposição de veículos híbridos (elétricos e à combustão) que podem operar como mini-usinas elétricas no abastecimento de localidades que esteja necessitando de energia em um determinado momento. Para isso, será levantada uma base de dados com características dos veículos híbridos e locais necessitados, dados esses que alimentarão um sistema nebuloso agregado à ferramenta MapServer e a um SIG (Sistema de Informações Geográficas) para, dessa forma, mostrar como saída do sistema qual veículo estará mais apto naquele instante para abastecer o local da demanda de energia.