High efficiency-low cost powertrain for urban electric vehicle

A Cooperation Project between: CR-ENEA "Casaccia" (Italian Governmental Agency for the Environment and Alternative Energy - Electric Vehicle division), Semikron Italy and University of Rome "Sapienza", started in 2006 to design a Full-Electric City-Car with the lowest possible specific consumption and using the technology which showed the best cost/performance ratio. The result is an High Efficiency Dual-Feed City-Car (4kW Permanent Magnet Electric Motors, one in each Front Wheel). The P.M. Motors are powered by two Custom Specific SEMIKRON Power MOSFET Modules, which use the proprietary "Pressure Technology" and are controlled by Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). No gearing, neither mechanical coupling are necessary. Battery Pack during tests and races were Lead Acid, boosted by Ultracapacitor system to improve performances. UltraCapacitor Units, are mounted according to [1], [2]. In this paper has been demonstrated that consumption per kilometer was reduced over 10% using this solution. Tests have been certified in the ENEA Test bench and during the Formula ATA 2008 competition at the FIAT Research Centre Facility, where the Car won the Second Prize and proved the reliability.