In terms of engines, CAVS has developed all types of hybrid architectures, including micro, start-stop, series, parallel, through-the-road, power-split, and plug-in.

For the Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition’s EcoCAR2 competition, CAVS engineers and students developed a series-parallel switching plug-in hybrid architecture. This design used an E85 engine, PMDC motor, and 6-speed automatic transmission, along with a chain-sprocket system to transfer power from the electric machine. The resulting vehicle achieved 118 mpg-e.

CAVS engineers also worked with a local company to produce an idle-reduction system for a Class 6 truck. The system uses a bank of batteries to maintain critical loads, such as HVAC, while the engine is off. With fully integrated controls that are transparent to the driver, the system switches between normal mode and engine-off mode automatically.

While working together on the Car of the Future, CAVS engineers and students produced a plug-in hybrid vehicle that achieved 104 mpg-e through the use of a range-extending EV architecture. This vehicle achieves 60 miles of all-electric range from a 13 kWh battery pack, while weighing only 2,850 lb.