Identification of the Optimum Vehicle Class for the Application of 42v Integrated Starter Generator

Today nearly all automotive manufacturers are developing motor-generator systems for improved fuel economy by implementing idling-stop and other power train enhancements. It is said that powertrain technology has always pioneered the development of automotive electronic control throughout history. The integrated starter generator (ISG) promises to expand the scope of powertrain control further through fuel economy improvement, emissions reduction, longitudinal vehicle dynamics improvement and customer feature enhancements. At the present time the cost imposed by usage of an ISG system is very high due mainly to its need for a power optimized 42V battery and high power electronics. This paper takes a critical look at the vehicle benefits attributable to ISG and its implementation costs over various vehicle classes.