TORQUE CONVERTERS MAKE ELECTRIC VEHICLES COMPETITIVE

The Hobbs Torque Converter has recently been applied to electric vehicles to reduce the cost premium associated with such vehicles. The main claimed advantages of the unit are listed; these include a cost saving through simplification of the motor controls, provision of regenerative braking and a much improved performance which is comparable with that of internal combustion engines. It is suggested that the cost premium associated with electric vehicles in their present state limits their penetration of the motor vehicle market. Apart from the batteries, the electric motor and control equipment are the components for which costs are high. An alternative to sophisticated control equipment has been the use of automatic transmission, but conventional units have high power losses, mainly in the torque converter. The hobbs torque converter has both lower power losses and a higher starting ratio than conventional units, and its application to electric vehicles is described. Experimental vehicles incorporating the unit are claimed here to have a range of 50 miles in towns, a maximum speed of 50 mile/h and are likely to produce savings of around 30 per cent over petrol vehicles. It is also suggested that to bring electric vehicles into the market, the refinements associated with petrol vehicles must be included. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00203122
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Road Transport Engineeers

  1 Cromwell Place
  London SW1 25F,   England 

  Institute of Road Transport Engineeers

  1 Cromwell Place
  London SW1 25F,   England 
• Authors:
  • Ratcliff, J
• Publication Date: 1976-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 18-19
• Serial:
  • TRANSPORT ENGINEER
  • Publisher: Institute of Road Transport Engineeers
  • ISSN: 0020-3122

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic transmissions; Brakes; Braking performance; Costs; Economic efficiency; Electric automobiles; Electric vehicles; Energy; Fuel consumption; Motors; Torque converters; Torsion
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Modifications
• ITRD Terms: 1361: Brake; 224: Cost; 5911: Efficiency; 232: Fuel consumption; 9048: Modification; 1334: Motor; 5512: Torsion
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00138972
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 3 1976 12:00AM