The paper describes the Garrett Electric Test Vehicle (designated ETV-2) developed using a systems approach to evolve an all new design, highly optimized for the particular requirements of a small, 4-passenger, electric-powered urban/suburban car. The power subsystem is a new and unique design that uses stored flywheel energy to provide transient power for high-power modes such as acceleration and hill climbing. Battery power is utilized basically for cruise conditions. A regenerative braking feature is incorporated to convert vehicle kinetic energy into retrievable flywheel energy. To minimize weight, the body/chassis construction is a unique unitized design of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP).
Abstract