The HY-KERS vettura laboratorio (experimental vehicle). (Photo: PRNewsFoto/Ferrari North America, Inc.)
By Tom Kessler
Green Right Now
At the Geneva Auto Show this week Ferrari, a company whose products are normally associated with red, flashed a bit of green. And we’re not just talking about the paint job.
Ferrari’s HY-KERS vettura laboratorio (experimental vehicle) is a hybrid version of the 599 GTB Fiorano that slips in a high-voltage electric motor capable of producing 100 horsepower. The test car reduces CO2 emissions by 35 per cent.
The iconic company says the hybrid project is aimed at ensuring that Ferrari will be in a position to comply with future CO2 emissions standards, particularly in urban environments. City driving is traditionally where sports cars typically become major fuel hogs because their engines are designed for maximum efficiency and performance at high RPMs rather than the low revs and low engine loads of city driving.
Ferrari says it has employed its racing experience to adapt an advanced, lightweight hybrid drivetrain to the 599 with the aim of ensuring that vehicle dynamics are unaffected. The car’s flat lithium-ion batteries are positioned below the floorpan, resulting in a lower center of gravity than in the standard car.
The company employed its legendary F1 racing experience in the design, engineering and construction of the electric motor. By optimizing the longitudinal and lateral dynamics of the car, Ferrari says it was able to enhance traction and brake balance. The motor also features a unique cooling and lubrication system for maximum efficiency under all operating temperatures and loads.
But don’t look for a green Dancing Horse just yet — it will likely be several more years before this new hybrid technology shows up in a production car.