Urbe-Enea project for a low consumption urban vehicle

In 2006 the Hybrid and Electric Research Group of ENEA planned the realization of an hybrid powertrain suitable for small city car (“quadriciclo leggero” for Italian homologation rules) able to fulfil the 350 kg limit for the overall vehicle weight (comprehensive of storage system) imposed by legislation. To fulfil the project, ENEA asks to Sapienza University of Rome to collaborate to the project for the i.c. engine optimisation, rolling chassis design, and hybrid powertrain control, and to University ROMA TRE to collaborate for the electric machines and converters. The main targets of the project, called “Urb-e”, are to realise a powertrain able to achieve low fuel consumption (2.5 litre/ 100 km), low emissions (comparable to EURO 5 rules), together with simple configuration and low powertrain cost.