Automakers’ Powertrain Options for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

This chapter describes the evolution of vehicle electrification from various forms of hybrid electric vehicles such as micro, mild-medium, and full hybrid vehicles to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and from fuel cell hydrogen electric vehicles to multi-purpose electrified traction platforms and architectures. An all-electric traction can be obtained in various ways, with different architectures ranging from full-hybrid configurations that allows driving in electric mode for short ranges, to solutions with electric batteries and motor, up to the adoption of electric systems with the double possibility of supplying onboard electricity from both hydrogen-powered fuel cells and batteries. The fast development of electrified powertrains would not only result in improved fuel consumption but would also enable one to travel for longer distances in a zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mode. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, despite a recent drop in public opinion, are still the subject of continued applied research and testing. The hydrogen architecture could also hybridize the battery-powered electric system with a stack of fuel cells and a tank, which would allow an extension of the range compared to battery-powered electric vehicles. The electricity produced by fuel cells will be supplied to the batteries or the electric motor whose emissions would be water vapor. Voltec Technology proposed by GM is a plug-in technology with an extended range of about 500 km, which is four times that of an electric vehicle. ZEVs presently are undergoing massive testing and will be increasingly available, although at a slow initial pace.