Hybrid Track Day

[tucsonsx]

I wonder how hybrids do in HPDE events. Do they run out of batteries and, if so, what happens then?

 

[vivanshah]

I wonder how hybrids do in HPDE events. Do they run out of batteries and, if so, what happens then?

the smart ones recover a lot of energy from braking etc. a bigger concern is overheating of the electric motors/batteries. the tesla (although not a sports car by any stretch) is very quick, but extended track use causes it to cut a lot of power to keep the component temperatures within spec.

 

[Mac Attack]

My Prius is only good for about 2 laps on your typical 2-mile track with ~15 turns. Then, the battery never recovers because of the weak inverter. I have to charge it in the pits by holding both the brake and gas pedal at the same time to force a recharge.

I know it sounds stupid, but it is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. I like playing with stock Miatas and Cooper S's. Prius brakes are fantastic. The OEM Yokohamas don't chunk but get greasy quickly... and they melt on 100F track days.

Dave

 

[bngl3rt]

I never got to track my Volt before I got rid of it, but I really wanted to. I think the battery could have done one lap of Laguna before crapping out. Ah well.

 

[Ponyboy]

"I don't win a lot."

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[MvM]

Don't remember where, but I remember reading somewhere that the development of this NSX took so lang because while testing, the found out that when the batteries ran empty, the whole performance of the car dropped significantly.

That said, with the current number of electric vehicles, I would love to see a comparison of EV's against our ICE cars running multiple accelerations test, like 0-60, 0-100, 0-120 and this five times in a row.

I suspect that after a few runs, most EV's would take significantly longer to reach any speed on the fifth try than on the first.

 

[Elistan]

"We were told that the batteries stay in a constant state of charge so that they don't drain and compromise performance on the track."
http://jalopnik.com/new-acura-nsx-was-totally-reengineered-in-18-months-ha-1679196996

If true, that suggests to me that the car only expends such energy as it can recover. Which possibly limits the car's ultimate performance level, but means that level does not vary during a session. How the charging algorithm works, and whether the NSX does it in all modes, remains to be seen. Max electrical output would be good for straight line acceleration runs, for example. IIRC the 918 has a mode that'll drain the batteries to max out a single lap or something like that.

 

[Wickeddeus]

"We were told that the batteries stay in a constant state of charge so that they don't drain and compromise performance on the track."
http://jalopnik.com/new-acura-nsx-was-totally-reengineered-in-18-months-ha-1679196996

If true, that suggests to me that the car only expends such energy as it can recover. Which possibly limits the car's ultimate performance level, but means that level does not vary during a session. How the charging algorithm works, and whether the NSX does it in all modes, remains to be seen. Max electrical output would be good for straight line acceleration runs, for example. IIRC the 918 has a mode that'll drain the batteries to max out a single lap or something like that.

We may ultimately find out that the output seem so low because of it. The new FordGT announce that their 3.5L TTV6 will be making 600+ hp. Why would Honda/Acura's power system that has a unknown size TTV6 with 3 electric motors make less(north of 550)? If you think about it the 3.8L 6TT in a Porsche Turbo S can make 560 already. Could it be that mix/race mode that Honda uses the e-motors to fill out the valley of the TTV6 so that no matter what rev range you're at you are almost at the peak of the power band. In other words in the lower rev range the e-motors are in heavy use to get the car up to speed but once you're in the power band of the TTV6 engine the e-motors cycles down to recover energy. This type of tech is already in the Porsche 918 but he Porsche has a "Hot Lap" mode that the new NSX might not have.

Quiet and elegant: “E-Power"

When the vehicle is started up, the “E-Power" mode is the default operating mode as long as the battery is sufficiently charged. In ideal conditions, the 918 Spyder can cover approximately 18 miles on purely electric power. Even in pure electric mode, the 918 Spyder accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in seven seconds and can reach speeds of up to 93 mph. In this mode, the combustion engine is only used when needed. If the battery’s charge state drops below a set minimum value, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode.

Efficient and comfortable: “Hybrid"

In “Hybrid" mode, the electric motors and combustion engine work alternately with a focus on maximum efficiency and minimum fuel consumption. The use of individual drive components is modified as a function of the current driving situation and the desired performance. The Hybrid mode is typically used for a fuel economy-oriented driving style.

Sporty and dynamic: “Sport Hybrid"

In more dynamic situations, the 918 Spyder selects the “Sport Hybrid" mode for its power sources. The combustion engine now operates continuously and provides the main propulsive force. In addition, the electric motors provide support in the form of electric boosting or when the operating point of the combustion engine can be optimized for greater efficiency. The focus of this mode is on performance and a sporty driving style at top speed.

For fast laps: “Race Hybrid"

“Race Hybrid" is the mode for maximum performance and an especially sporty driving style. The combustion engine is chiefly used under high load, and charges the battery when the driver is not utilizing its maximum output. Again, the electric motors provide additional support in the form of boosting. Furthermore, the gear-shifting program of the PDK is set up for even sportier driving. The electric motors are used up to the maximum power output limit to deliver the best possible performance for the race track. In this mode, the battery charge state is not kept constant, rather it fluctuates over the entire charge range. In contrast to Sport Hybrid mode, the electric motors run at their maximum power output limit for a short time for better boosting. This increased output is balanced by the combustion engine charging the battery more intensively. Electric power is thus available even with several very fast laps.

For pole position: “Hot Lap"

The “Hot Lap" button in the middle of the map switch releases the final reserves of the 918 Spyder and can only be activated in “Race Hybrid" mode. Similar to a qualification mode, this pushes the traction battery to its maximum power output limits for a few fast laps. This mode uses all of the available energy in the battery.

Of course the Race Hybrid mode on the NSX might be less aggressive so that the power system is never out of electric assist or battery tech are better in the new NSX.