Current hybrid and electric powertrains in Class 1 through to Class 7 vehicle segments, are still disadvantaged by very low market penetration due to high procurement and operational cost barriers which have increased the gap between the technology experience and the expected benefits of powertrain electrification.
Fundamentally, baseline gasoline and diesel vehicles with over 100 years of established supply chain network and manufacturing economies of scale, have made it difficult for hybrid and electric alternatives to compete even with the continuous drop in price of these new technologies and numerous government incentives.
A new approach is proposed in this segment with an Integrated Torque Assist Transmission (ITAT) that addresses the typical fuel inefficiency challenges of the baseline powertrains where mostly up to 12% of their fuel content is used for actual vehicle propulsion while the rest is lost to heat dissipation. The new ITAT replaces the stock transmission as an electrification upgrade with the choice of a Battery or Ultracap energy storage system of 48V or 300V specification. The transmission system can be retrofitted as an aftermarket upgrade or installed on the assembly line.
A model cargo van is used to demonstrate the benefits of the torque assist transmission approach which includes engine downsizing if applicable or better fuel economy from the stock engine if it is retained as well as the cost benefit of over 60% off the shelf component sourcing using most of the existing supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure.