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Ferrari Wants Hybrid Option On Entire Lineup

 
3 1,645 views Mar 8, 2010
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2010 Ferrari 599 HY-KERS Concept

HI-RES GALLERY: 2010 Ferrari 599 HY-KERS Concept

Governments around the world are bowing to public pressure to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases their respective countries produce, and more often than not, the first sector they look at is the auto industry. Here in the U.S. the government has imposed a tough 35.5 mpg fleet-wide fuel economy standard for 2016, while in Europe the government wants to put a limit on CO2 levels--something that could have disastrous effects for niche players like Ferrari.

The changes have Ferrari so worried that engineers for both its F1 division and road cars are hard at work developing methods to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of its engines. Of course, Ferrari being Ferrari, the automaker’s management has maintained that any reduction of CO2 levels will not come at the cost of performance.

Ferrari is looking at a number of technologies that can be applied to its future lineup to help reduce emissions and one of these is a new hybrid system dubbed the HY-KERS, which was previewed in the 599 HY-KERS concept car at last week’s 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

The system consists of an electric motor bolted to the car’s transmission that can aid acceleration during high-loads or power the entire vehicle at low speeds. The motor operates through one of the transmission’s two clutches and engages one of the two gearbox primary shafts. Thus power is coupled seamlessly and instantaneously between the electric motor and the internal combustion engine. Under braking the electric drive unit acts as a generator, using the kinetic energy from the negative torque generated to recharge the batteries.

Speaking in Geneva last week, Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo said the automaker wants to offer a hybrid option across its entire lineup within the next three to four years.

“This is a first step of a long project and we want within three years, maximum four, to have a hybrid Ferrari car ready for every single product of our range. This is our goal,” Montezemolo said. “In three years we aim to cut emissions by a minimum of 35 percent.”

Before any hybrids, however, we’ll see more 'simple' fuel saving features, such as engine stop-start and direct-injection technology, make their way onto Ferrari’s road cars.

[Automotive News, sub req’d]





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Comments (3)

  1. By NoNameDenton Posted: 3/8/2010 3:42pm PST

    That sounds so very exciting
     
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  2. By jnp Posted: 3/8/2010 9:01pm PST

    Interesting that Ferrari is looking at the hybrid option. Is that "governments around the world bowing to public pressure," or is it the public bowing to government pressure? Anyway, does sound like they will be designing some pretty interesting systems and that 599 concept is gorgeous.
     
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  3. By  smart lipo Posted: 3/10/2010 4:01am PST

    If you think that Ferrari's F1 pedigree is in any way related to the technological sophistication of their road cars, you fell for the very branding strategy I mentioned. I stand by my statement: as an automotive company, Ferrari has always lacked innovation.
     
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