Making hybrid cars more driveable Tuesday, 15 September 2015

British driveline technology company GKN  has developed a new electric ‘torque-vectoring’ axle technology that will make next generation hybrid vehicles more dynamic.

The new eAxle system integrates GKN’s Twinster dual-clutch drive module, using it to distribute more torque to an individual wheel to help the vehicle turn faster, enhancing cornering response – a process called torque vectoring.

GKN Driveline Senior Vice President of Programme Management and Strategy, Jim Voeffray, said the system would improve the driveability of hybrids.

“GKN has been building the momentum towards electric torque vectoring for some time, establishing the core eAxle and torque vectoring technologies in production and proving our expertise in driveline systems integration on a series of high-profile programmes,” said Voeffray.

He said the technology will help hybrids compete successfully against conventional powertrains on performance, not just efficiency and he believes believes the technology has the potential to become a standard element in hybrid drivetrains, broadening their appeal and accelerating their adoption, and could make hybrid all-wheel drive the set-up of choice for most drivers by 2025.

The company forecasts that by then almost half of all vehicles will have some level of electrification, with a greater proportion of the power delivered by electric motors.

Currently conventional hybrids derive just 30% of their energy from a battery; GKN expects that in future vehicles small, powerful, torque-vectoring electric axles could help deliver 60-70% of the power.

Automakers are already using GKN eAxles to build more driver-focused plug-in hybrids such as the Porsche 918 Spyder and BMW i8.