efficiency – All about car

Jaguar boosts I-Pace efficiency with system tweaks Improvements have come from developments on the racing Jaguar Jaguar has rolled-out a range of updates to its I-Pace range, which see the pure-electric model’s range improved by up to 12 miles on a single charge. The improvements have come about thanks to technical knowledge gained from the I-Pace e-Trophy single-make race series. Battery management, thermal systems, and all-wheel drive torque settings have all been tweaked. The changes will be implemented on all new I-Pace models going forward, and existing customers are being invited to have the improvements retro-fitted to their models. The upgrade is complimentary, and enhanced over-the-air software upgrade functionality will be added at the same time. This means that the I-Pace now has a range of up to 292 miles (WLTP), despite no physical changes being made to the car’s hardware. Jaguar has changed the torque distribution between front and rear motors to offer greater efficiency in Eco mode. The I-Pace retains its permanent all-wheel drive status however. Thermal management improvements see greater use made of the active radiator vanes, closing them more frequently to smooth out aerodynamics more often. The car’s usable battery capacity has been improved too, allowing the I-Pace to run down to a lower state-of-charge than previously. Again, the gross capacity of 90 kWh remains, but the net capacity has been increased. Jaguar has also worked on the brake energy recuperation system to use regen more efficiently when the battery has a high state of charge, and the amount of energy recovery has been increased at lower speeds for a similar effect. Finally, the predictive range calculation algorithm has been refined for a more accurate and consistent estimate, one more reflective of the driving style. Performance figures remain the same, with a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds possible, while recharging is still possible at 100 kW on ultra-rapid points.
Origin: Jaguar boosts IPace efficiency with system tweaks

WLTP Challenge showcases vehicle efficiency The challenge looked to see how accurate WLTP testing is Results from the inaugural WLTP Challenge have come in, with the overall figures showing that the new WLTP test cycle is largely reflective of real-world fuel economy. Completed over a day’s driving, the 220 mile route included a variety of types of road and conditions. Heading from Bristol to Birmingham, and back again via the Cotswolds, the event planned in all different types of road and speeds – from motorway to urban driving. Designed to simulate a potential day’s driving on business, Fleet World – the event’s organisers – had arranged for every powertrain type to be tested. This covered petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure-electric, and even hydrogen fuel cell. Highlights from the results include a 40% improvement over the official WLTP figure from a Vauxhall Astra 1.5 diesel, returning 85 MPG. Honda’s hybrid CR-V managed to achieve 70 MPG, representing a 70% improvement over official figures. Mitsubishi’s L200 Barbarian returned 62% more than its test results, and thee fully-laden RAC patrol van exceeded its official figure, proving the case for WLTP with light commercial vehicles too. Next Green Car ran a Nissan Leaf e+ in the event and managed to complete the route comfortably, as did the Audi e-tron and Tesla Model 3 which also represented pure-electric models. Although the official economy figures weren’t matched, they were all close to the target. The Leaf was less than 6% off its miles/kWh target, the Audi e-tron less than 11% away, and the Model 3 only 3% off. Using the real-world figures gained from the challenge, it is calculated that the trip would have cost £10 in the Leaf, compared to £19 for a diesel averaging 70 MPG, and £25 for a petrol averaging 50 MPG. WLTP Challenge 2019 organiser, Luke Wikner said: “The WLTP Challenge 2019 just goes to show that every driver, be they a private motorist or a company car driver behind the wheel of any vehicle, can make significant incremental improvements to their fuel economy. “Smarter driving in this way ultimately leads to safer driving, lower fuel bills, lower insurance, lower stress levels for drivers and fleet operators and a happier mobile workforce. “The Challenge also underlines that the new WLTP test procedure is already proving its worth. Gone are the days when motorists can say that they will never achieve their vehicles’ official fuel consumption figures, as the latest official WLTP figures will be representative of most drivers’ real-world fuel economy, most of the time.” Click below to read NGC’s report of how the WLTP Challenge unfolded.
Origin: WLTP Challenge showcases vehicle efficiency