Environmental impacts from cars and vans have historically been assessed through standardised testing or drive cycles. However, to assess total environmental impacts, real world behaviours and interactions beyond pure propulsion should be evaluated and optimised. This is particularly relevant for plug-in hybridised systems, where the discontinuous nature of operation and the possibility that users don't charge the battery poses significant problems in both the reduction and the assessment of emissions in real driving conditions. In addition, the possibility of converting engine waste heat to useful power or for vehicle functions such as heating or cooling can deliver improvements in energy efficiency but adds significant complexity to these issues. Innovative energy generators, specifically developed for hybrid applications can provide benefits in terms of energy efficiency, cost, size and weight in comparison with derivatives of existing engines as currently implemented in PHEVs. The challenge will be to optimise in real time which form of energy should be used under a range of specific conditions and what new in-engine or after-treatment approaches can be used to holistically minimise real world emissions of both greenhouse and toxic substances.
Proposed solutions should reach at least TRL7 at the end of the project.
Scope:Proposals will
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