LC Super Hybrid voted BEEAs Green Product of the Year

The low carbon LC Super Hybrid automotive technology being developed by Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) – supported by the European Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium (EALABC) – has been awarded Green Product of the Year at the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEAs). 

CPT is an independent, clean-tech company, based at Laindon in Essex and Coventry in the West Midlands, specialising in the development of cost-effective CO₂ reduction measures for the global automotive industry that avoid major redesign of the powertrain or vehicle electrical system. Its core competencies include low voltage power electronics, advanced control software and the application of low voltage electrical machines to gasoline and diesel powertrains. 

The judges said that CPT’s low voltage hybrid technology applicable to cars, trucks and buses provides an affordable transportation solution, which promises to cut the CO₂ emissions of a wide range of vehicles very significantly.

“We’re delighted to receive this recognition for all the hard work we’ve put into our technology since the company was formed in 2007,” said Nick Pascoe, founder member and chief executive officer of CPT, on behalf of the company’s 50 design, test and development engineers and support staff.  “We are very excited by the numerous applications for our highly controllable motor-generator technology, particularly in the development of a new breed of super-efficient 48V hybrid vehicles, incorporating highly dynamic electric torque assist with near continuous kinetic and thermal energy recovery.”  

“The LC Super Hybrid programme is a real-world solution to one of the biggest global environmental issues: how to make clean electric motoring affordable and accessible,” said chairman of the judges Andrew Burrows, founder of i20 Water and winner of the 2009 BEEAs Grand Prix.

“Controlled Power Technologies is a prime example of what we do best in the UK,” said Graham Pitcher, another member of the jury and group editor of Findlay Media’s Engineering Design Division, which organises the awards. Commenting on how UK companies are moving into the fast lane to help the global automotive industry solve some of its challenges, he added: “Almost in stealth mode, the UK has become one of the design communities of choice for the world – and the automotive market is a leading example. It’s the world’s fifth largest manufacturing economy, with the UK’s design engineering sector also making a substantial contribution to the nation’s GDP.”

“Designing to be ‘green’ is fast becoming a central part of an engineer’s job function,” said another judge, Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. “Now, designs need not only to be made using appropriate materials, but also to be recyclable at the end of life.  Throw in some consideration of the device’s carbon footprint and the challenge grows.”

“CPT has addressed the need for greener automotive technology applicable to car, bus and truck designs,” said Dr Andy Sellars, lead technologist with InnovateUK (Technology Strategy Board).  “Its low carbon LC Super Hybrid programme is set to bring about a substantial reduction in CO₂ emissions for around one-tenth the price premium of a pure battery electric vehicle or high voltage plug-in hybrid.”

“Vehicle legislation is now demanding major reduction in CO₂ emissions and less use of exotic materials,” said Ashley Evans, another judge, director of electronics at techUK and inaugural chair of the UK Electronic Alliance.  “Currently, 95 per cent of electric motors produced for the auto industry use rare earth permanent magnets.  In a high voltage hybrid, the traction motor alone needs at least 1kg of neodymium, raising issues of availability, price volatility and end of life recyclability.  In switched reluctance machines, these magnets are replaced with electronic switches and software.”

“These complementary switched-reluctance motor-generator and advanced lead-carbon technologies are now ready for high volume series production and the first vehicles featuring this ‘intelligent electrification’ of the powertrain are expected to make their showroom debut from 2016 onwards,” said another judge, Paul Fanning, immediate past editor of Eureka magazine.

The LC Super Hybrid approach combines electric supercharger and motor-generator applications of CPT’s switched-reluctance motor technology demonstrated in a large family saloon.  The result enables aggressive downsizing and down-speeding of existing engine families, delivering CO₂ reduction and fuel economy improvement.  Also under development for other projects is CPT’s turbine integrated gas exhaust energy recovery system. 

The LC Super Hybrid technology development programme represents the culmination of almost 15 years of research into switched-reluctance motors, and more than two decades of research and development by the international Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium leading to the recent breakthrough of advanced lead-carbon batteries, suitable for the high rate partial state-of-charge (HRPSoC) requirements of a low voltage super hybrid vehicle.

“This cooperation with CPT has been highly successful,” said Allan Cooper, project coordinator of the EALABC, “not just because of the many awards that have been won, but the fact that it has resulted in projects directly involving vehicle OEMs, suggesting that this low cost technology will reach the market place in the very near future.”

Photograph: Affordable low voltage 12V and 48V LC Super Hybrid technology applicable to cars, trucks and buses is demonstrated in these Volkswagen Passat 1.4-litre models providing better than 50mpg /17.7 kilometres per litre fuel economy and 2-litre engine performance in a large family saloon for around one-tenth the price premium of a pure battery electric vehicle or high voltage plug-in hybrid.