We used to see Lorinser logo only on the most exclusive and luxurious Mercedes Benz, but their latest creation for 2010 Essen Motor Show has nothing to do with their usual line of cool cars. It’s based on a smart fortwo and called the Easybrid, which must be a mix of easy and hybrid, and features an innovative retrofit hub motor at the back.
But it’s not the kind of hybrid you have in mind. Yes it has an additional electric motor with 30kW output, but it’s there to give you extra pull, not just to help with fuel efficiency. This system will lower the Co2 emissions considerably, but the main goal here is power and speed and that’s nice!
Now, Lorinser gets a bit too technical explaining this system, which is not really our thang! So read on through their own words to learn more about it. If you still had question then visit Essen show which starts on November 27th and ask them about it!
The preconditions are that the automobile in question has to have drum brakes at the rear axle, but this is quite common with small and compact cars. So-called stators are adapted to the braking armature discs. These are accumulated electric coils which are supplied with directed power via control electronics in order to magnetise them and therefore turn the rotor on the wheel hub which is equipped with permanent magnets in rolling direction.
Therefore, any kind of engine, differential and driving shaft becomes unnecessary as the engine directly affects the individual wheel and accelerates it. Altogether, this means that the nominal capacity of the electronic motor is transferred to the road nearly without any frictional loss. With the help of a control unit the power of the hub motors is added to the initial power of the combustion engine. As the modification is usually added to the rear axle, many of the vehicles in question are therefore turned into four wheel drive cars which render additional traction advantages at winter time.
Easybrid supports the existing fuel- or diesel engines of the individual cars and renders an additional power of approximately 30 kW (about 41hp) for improved acceleration- and final speed outputs. At the same time, the consumption- and CO2- levels drop. As electric engines are very powerful and their maximum torque is reached after only one revolution, it is also possible to move these cars solely on an electric basis. With this retrofit solution, Lorinser does not only cover all advantages of modern hybrid acceleration, but also allows the driver to choose his operational mode. Apart from the combination of both engines, he can also opt for either the sole electronic or sole combustion engine. The driver can therefore decide if he wishes to use fuel or electricity or a combination of both.
In order to recharge the lithium ionic batteries of the electric engine which for space saving measures are either stored in the reserve wheel drop or under the vehicle, the automobile can either be connected to a usual socket or use the so-called recuperation during its operation. This means that the energy which is generated during braking and driving downhill recharges the batteries. Therefore, the car can run approximately 30 kilometres on sole electric power and depending on the model far than 500 kilometres with the combined hybrid mode. In a combination with modern turbodiesel engines, even wider distances are possible.
On the Essen Motor Show 2010 which starts on November 27th, Lorinser will introduce a first driveable prototype based on a Smart Fortwo with a retrofit hub motor. Further possible models suitable would be the Volkswagen Polo, the Renault Twingo or the Fiat 500. Also older models are suitable and in future, Lorinser will develop solutions for these models as well. Already since May 2009, the Lorinser engineers have been co-operating with external development partners on the retrofit hub motors and prototypes which were equipped with such technology. The test period will be ending by mid 2011 and from then on, it will be possible to equip first customer cars.
