Ricardo has long been one of the UK’s leading clean technology developers and innovators. The company provides an extremely wide range of products and services based on the fruits of its highly proactive and strategically targeted research and development efforts. Ricardo can, for example, design and develop from scratch electric and hybrid vehicle systems, from electric motors and range extender APUs to power electronics modules and control systems, and from cost-effective energy management technologies – including its own Kinergy high-speed flywheel device– through to lightweight, energy-efficient vehicle architectures.
The company is also active in the development of intelligent mobility systems, the most recent example of which was in collaboration with Volvo and other European partners on the Ricardo-led SARTRE project to demonstrate a practical implementation of road train technology aimed at improving both safety and fuel efficiency on the public highway.
Among the research vehicles to feature at the LCV2012 show will be the Volvo XC60 EV, a Ricardo demonstrator based on this popular Volvo SUV, and a Land Rover Freelander RE-EV, a range-extended EV demonstrator powered by a Ricardo-designed APU based on the Fiat TwinAir engine. The fruits of two Technology Strategy Board partnerships will also be on show: the Hyboost, a project to demonstrate the benefits of extreme engine downsizing through the implementation of intelligent electrification – developed in collaboration with a Controlled Power Technologies, the European Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium, Ford, Imperial College London and Valeo – and the Syner-D vehicle, developed with JLR, Valeo, SKF, Lontra and Shell, that targets cost-effective CO2 reduction in a premium segment diesel vehicle, and has delivered a demonstrator offering approximately 30 percent CO2 reduction while meeting Euro 6 emissions with uncompromised driveability.
In addition to the vehicle displays, Ricardo plans to show a range of exhibits at LCV 2012 illustrating its work in ITS systems, electric vehicle architectures, including a Ricardo APU, the Ricardo generic battery management system, power electronics modules and energy storage systems.
“We’re pleased to be exhibiting such an unprecedentedly wide range of low carbon technology demonstrator vehicles at the LCV2012 show,” said Dave Greenwood, head of the Ricardo hybrid and electric systems product group. “These include fully electric and range extended hybrid vehicles, an advanced gasoline architecture based on ‘intelligent electrification’ which sets a new benchmark in downsized engine fuel-efficiency, and a state-of-the-art highly optimized diesel concept. Taken together, they demonstrate a comprehensive range of extremely practical, low carbon powertrain technology solutions, each of which comprises many constituent technologies and innovations that will be of interest to automakers for future product programmes in the years ahead.”
A range of demonstrator vehicles and exhibits will provide insights into some of the advanced research projects in which Ricardo is involved, as the company helps to develop technologies that will enable the next generation of low carbon vehicles.