Hybrid vehicles mechanical components

Using the example of a power module (integrated in electric and hybrid vehicles) and an electrolytic capacitor, it will be examined whether this approach is universally valid. A Weibull analysis of test results for this component showed a significantly increasing failure rate due to mechanical stresses caused by thermal cyclical of the component during operation. The test analysis for aluminium electrolytic capacitors showed a similar result. 

Because the power modules contain materials with different thermal expansion coefficients, cyclical warming and cooling of the component during operation causes mechanical stresses induced by thermal strain in and between the individual connection layers. For the example of an application in electric and hybrid vehicles, the temperature cycles arise due to brief, intense currents in the power modules, such as during the recuperation... 

Battery pack development for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) includes many of the same considerations involved in the development of battery packs for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Typical Li-ion battery packs, also called rechargeable energy storage systems (RESS), generally include four main components (1) lithium-ion battery cells, (2) mechanical structure and/or modules, (3) battery management system (BMS) and electronics, and (4) thermal management system. 

Finally, a case study describing the application of the hybrid interference fitted-adhesive bonded joint technique on the automotive steel wheel system is presented. The study was carried out in collaboration with the MW company, a division of the CLN group. The business of MW concerns the steel wheel market for passenger cars, light and heavy commercial vehicles and motorcycles. Bonded wheel prototypes were submitted to static and dynamic mechanical tests adopted for components validation. The results obtained on bonded wheel prototypes were compared with the traditional welded wheels and with the samples tested at laboratory level. 

Market success is an important criterion of any new drivetrain technology. Its benchmark is usually the cost of a conventional powertrain. In view of the different possible layouts, analyses should be based on production costs, not end-user price, and refer to mechanical power output to retain comparability in terms of driving performance. In a second step, life-cycle costs also need to be assessed in order to draft reliable conclusions. Figure 35.24 shows the specific costs of conventional ICE, hybrid, and BEV drivetrains for a vehicle with 90kWmech- Component costs are those stated in the previous sections. 

Figure 4.2 Critical components of (a) hybrid electric vehicle and (b) basic alternate starter mechanism.

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