Kodiak Bear

2005-04-11

An 1800 HP, Street Legal Corvette: An Introduction to the AWD Electrically-Variable Transmission 2005-01-1169

New vehicle technologies open up a vast number of new options for the designer, removing traditional constraints. Though hybrid powertrains have thus far been implemented chiefly to improve the fuel economy of already economical passenger cars, hybrid technology may have even more to offer in a performance vehicle. In the year when the C6 Corvette and two large GM hybrid projects have been unveiled, a new case study looks to combine these ideas and explore the performance limits for the next generation high performance sports car. Through an innovative transmission concept and thoughtful packaging, the next generation Corvette could enhance a 600 HP spark-ignited V-8 (supercharged LS2) with 1200 HP from electric machines, and still meet current emission standards.Such immense tractive power, however, would be useless without an intelligent means of delivering this power to the wheels. A two-wheel-drive system was obviously inadequate; therefore a new all-wheel-drive transmission is proposed. The engine power will be distributed through an electrically-variable transmission able to continuously regulate the speed and the amount of power delivered to each axle. For a short time, the transmission can supplement the engine power with that supplied by a Nickel Hydrogen battery pack.

Zaro Tundov

Interesting. That would have been written around the time the C7 was planned to be mid-engine.

The proposal is so old they used NiMH cells instead of Li-ion cells. Even more power would be possible with today's technology and GM's expertise gained from development of the Voltec powertrain.

Kodiak Bear

The Plot thickens.
All MB AMG products to be all-wheel drive.
Is a future all-wheel drive C8 a certainty??? Or AWD C8 as a future standard???

"Although it used to be renown for its rear-wheel drive monsters, AMG, which is now integrated into Mercedes-Benzas its performance division, is set to make all-wheel drive standard across all of its models.
While recently speaking with Autocar, AMG boss Tobias Moers said that this decision was taken due to customer demand.
Asked directly whether or not the Mercedes-AMG GT supercar, currently sold with rear-wheel drive, would also follow the lead of the new E63 by adopting an advanced al-wheel drive system, Moers indicated that it should.
“When I ask customers about the GT, they ask me about all-wheel drive. Regarding our competition, this is the downside of the AMG in terms of usability. People in Munich, for example, always, always ask for four-wheel drive – I think it’s for safety and stability,” he said.
Mercedes-AMG premiered its advanced clutch-based all-wheel drive with the latest-generation E63. Unlike previous AWD models, this new system is able to send 100 per cent of power and torque through the rear wheels at the touch of a button. This system, therefore, perfectly caters to those customers who want the safety and all-weather usability of an all-wheel drive system without denying them the ability to kick out the tail if they so wish."