This short article describes a computer model of a light car which uses little petrol. Called the "Supercar", it is an optimised combination of two elements of car design. It combines light bodywork with a hybrid drive system that uses both fuel and batteries. So far the supercar has only been modelled on computer at the Rocky Mountain Institute, Colorado. However, its designer, Avory Covins, believes that it will only need a 250cc fuel driven engine. This will run at a constant speed, driving a generator to produce about 10 kilowatts of electricity. The electricity will be available to power drive motors housed in the wheels, and any surplus will be used to charge a battery with a capacity of up to 5 kilowatt hours. This battery will provide extra power for acceleration or to climb hills. The advantages of the hybrid system are that the engine is matched to the average power design rather than peak power so that is can be much smaller and lighter. It will also operate only at its optimum speed and power rating, shutting off when the battery is changed. The car is designed to cut fuel waste due to wind drag, braking and tyre rolling resistance
Samenvatting