Mississippi State University has an advanced engineering program, dedicated to the automotive world. Your Center of Advanced Vehicular Systems has been two years developing a hybrid version plug-in Subaru BRZ – twin of the Toyota GT 86 and one of the cars most fun in the moment. The Subaru BRZ of this university is faster than the standard car, it weighs just 36 kilos and a range of almost 85 km in mode 100% electric. Did we mentioned that your motor is now from a snowmobile?
From the outside, cannot be distinguished from other Subaru BRZ. No one suspected that carries a running gear completely new.
The students of the Center of Advanced Vehicular Systems began replacing all of the components of the running gear of the Subaru BRZ, which only retains parts of the rear suspension in common with the standard car. The center piece of this plug-in hybrid is a battery of 13 kWh of capacity, manufactured by the reputed provider 123 Systems. This lithium ion battery is situated in the hollow that has left the transmission of the Subaru BRZ, which has been extracted from the car. Their disposal also helps to improve the weight distribution.
In the second place, it has been installed an electric motor in each of the rear wheels. Although we do not know its power, we know that you have required students to build a rear subframe of magnesium completely new. As mentioned before, there are few series some arms of the suspension of the original BRZ. To be directly connected to the wheel, eliminating the need for a transmission and have minimal loss of efficiency. This Subaru BRZ is fast, do not hesitate.
In its interior is only missing the shifter, replaced by various buttons.
According to the measurements of the university, accelerated up to 96 km/h in 5.7 seconds from a standing start, improving in about a second the records of the car series. In addition, they enable a division of intelligent power using electronics. And what is the engine of the snowmobile? It is a propellant liquid-cooled, 850 cubic centimeters and two cylinders. The purpose of this small engine is just extend the car’s range once the battery charge has been depleted. Yes, it’s like a Chevrolet Volt.
Connected to the fuel tank of the BRZ – no modify – allows the total autonomy of the car is almost 900 miles. It is a light-weight engine, which has helped to keep nearly invariant to the total weight of the car. In addition, using a valve bypass using its heat to keep warm the batteries in cold climates, and uses a small radiator external cooling. All the thermal management of the car is smart, and is done without the driver appreciates it. The interior has not changed in hardly any detail.
Yes, what is lost is the fun of changing gear, the engine sound, the dynamics refined the BRZ. Gain performance, fuel saving. What you like the most? This prototype has been submitted by the Center of Advanced Vehicular Systems of Mississippi State University in Detroit, taking advantage of the world conference of the Society of Automotive Engineers. I am sure that many of the engineers that have developed in this project will find work quickly in companies in the automotive sector.
Source: Jalopnik
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