Yamaha’s Series Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SPHEV) will comprise of two electric motors and an internal combustion engine (ICE)
Yamaha is developing a series-parallel hybrid system designed for its upcoming range of scooters. Christened as Series Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SPHEV), it will ensure silent and environment-friendly performance of an EV while eliminating the reliance on public charging network and bigger battery packs. The SPHEV will comprise of two electric motors and an internal combustion engine (ICE). While the drive motor will power the wheels, the second motor, paired with the engine, will work as a generator.
The engine will produce electricity for supporting the battery while also driving the vehicle in special circumstances. Initially, the scooters will start as an electric two-wheeler but later on, they will transform into the most sensible energy source according to the speed and load. Only the drive motor will work in the all-electric battery drive mode at the start.
The renegrative braking will also come into play when the rider engages the brake lever. It will be fairly helpful in charging the battery in a country like India where stop-start is frequent during thick traffic most of the times. Once the scooters clocks a stable speed, the engine will start and generate power on the basis of the battery kevel in the series hybrid drive mode.
The rider can switch from motor drive to engine drive at moderate and higher speed levels as the ICE powertrain is generally considered highly efficient during stable runs. The Yamaha SPHEV will also get “Boost” mode when more power is required by the vehicle. In this scenario, Dual Boost will be activated with both drive motor and engine. However, in case of triple Boost, the electric motor working as a generator will also contribute.
The EV owners have admitted it in public domain that they absolutely like the quick response offered by electric motor and battery pack during acceleration. Hence, Yamaha is trying to replicate the same with the dual boost and triple boost features of the Series Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SPHEV). It will no longer require massive battery packs which increases the overall costing and weight of a vehicle.
If we talk about India in particular, this series hybrid system in scooters could address the range anxiety issue faced by most people. It will reduce dependency on charging stations, eliminate the usage of large battery packs and offer the feeling of an EV in thick city traffic. If Yamaha at all succeeds in rolling out a trustworthy, rider-friendly and closely-packed system, then it can also be extremely helpful for the delivery riders of Swiggy, Zomato and others.
