HyBoost Car aims for 30-40 percent CO2 Reduction without Performance Compromise

Ricardo, Inc., the US subsidiary of Ricardo plc, the leading independent provider of technology, product innovation and engineering solutions to the world’s automotive, defense, transport and new energy industries, has announced today further details of the collaborative HyBoost project. This research program is led by Ricardo in the UK in partnership with Controlled Power Technologies, the European Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium, Ford, Imperial College London, and Valeo, to demonstrate the ultimate in gasoline engine fuel efficiency using practical and near market-ready technologies 

The HyBoost project is a two-year research program, announced recently by the Technology Strategy Board, which aims to demonstrate a very cost-effective, ultra-efficient gasoline engine in a Csegment passenger car. The vehicle will offer the performance of a 2.0 liter model but with a realworld 30-40 percent reduction in CO2emissions to below 100g/km. This is to be achieved through the
synergistic application of an extremely downsized gasoline engine coupled with electrified boosting and exhaust gas energy recovery, micro-hybrid functionality with stop/start, torqueassist and regenerative braking, and a novel energy storage technology. 

The technologies to be incorporated in the HyBoost demonstrator vehicle will be restricted to innovations which are capable of practical production implementation in the near term; they must be constructed with readily available and affordable materials, and have the high scalability required by the automotive sector. The HyBoost project is supported by an investment from the UK Governmentbacked
Technology Strategy Board with balancing resources provided by the project partners.
Commenting on the HyBoost project, Neville Jackson, Ricardo group technology director said: “HyBoost aims to demonstrate the very significant benefits that can be achieved using an intelligent combination of innovative technologies to deliver low carbon transport solutions. The stated targets of this research would enable a consumer-attractive “average car” to be offered with CO2 emissions well
below the mandated future target set for the European fleet average without compromising vehicle performance” 

About Ricardo 

Ricardo, the Eco-Innovation Technology Company, is a leading independent provider of technology, product innovation, engineering solutions and strategic consulting to the world’s automotive, military, transport and new energy industries. The company’s skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: “Ricardo is Fuel Economy.” Ricardo offers TVFE™, its Total Vehicle Fuel Economy engineering service, to transportation manufacturers and related government agencies worldwide to provide objective evaluation of all available technologies to identify the most cost-effective strategies to accomplish fuel economy and CO2 goals. 

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo provides engineering expertise ranging from vehicle systems integration, controls & electronics, hardware and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Ricardo’s customers include the world’s major automakers and suppliers as well as manufacturers in the military, commercial, off-highway and clean energy sectors. 

The company also serves in advisory roles to governmental and independent agencies. Ricardo’s U.S. operation, Ricardo, Inc., is headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Ricardo plc posted sales of $296.6 million in financial year 2009 and is a constituent of the FTSE TechMark 100 index – a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.