Minimization of CO₂-Footprint of Hybrid Propulsion Systems for Mobility and Power-Tool Applications

Abstract

Research and development activities for propulsion systems follow the demands of users/customers, production companies and legal boundary conditions. While in the past the topics of functionality, producibility and cost in compliance with the actual legal boundary conditions were decisive for R&D, now the minimization of CO₂ footprint tends to become a requirement. In the field of propulsion systems for mobile and power-tool applications, in the past CO₂ emissions during use were a factor of interest in respect of fuel consumption, as traditional fuels are fossil based and emit CO₂ as combustion product. In some sub-fields of these applications, fuel consumption is one part of the legal regulations or a key value which has to be published for customer information. Nowadays, the whole life cycle including production and disposal or recycling of a propulsions system has to be taken into account when calculating CO₂ emissions. In this chapter, the question is addressed, how the development task of minimization of whole life cycle CO₂ balance of mechatronic hybrid propulsion systems in combination with the still valid general demands can be fulfilled by the use of design, simulation and experimental development. A framework of R&D methodologies is described with examples of two hybrid propulsions systems, one for two-wheeler and power sport applications and one designed for hand-held power tools.