ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF) announced the inauguration of Germany’s first location for the production of hybrid drive modules in Schweinfurt, Germany. During the fourth quarter of 2008, ZF will launch volume production to supply the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The modules will also be built for cars, buses and delivery vehicles.
The modules, called DynaStart, will be built by ZF Sachs – the Powertrain and Suspension Components Division of ZF. Currently, there are eight volume production projects under development for four vehicle manufacturers, with production launches scheduled between 2008 and 2012. Currently, ZF is launching an annual production volume of 35,000 units. Eventually, production could reach up to 200,000 units per year, with a staff of 50.
Hans-Georg Härter, CEO of ZF, commented, "We are convinced that hybrid technology will gain ground in the years to come because it not only protects the environment but also pays off for the motorists. In 2008 alone, ZF will invest more than $89 million in the development of hybrid technology."
DynaStart was developed specifically for the integration into the driveline and is well suited for parallel hybrid drives. This concept is said to allow for 30% fuel savings and emission reductions, depending on whether the vehicle is equipped with a mild hybrid or a full hybrid system.
These savings are based on the traditional hybrid functionalities. With the start/stop function, the combustion engine switches off during standstill, the electric motor lets the vehicle start, and the combustion engine is not activated until optimal engine speed is attained. The electric motor is also capable of braking the vehicle; in this process, it acts as a generator and transforms kinetic energy into electric power which can be stored in the battery ("recuperation"). Moreover, the high-torque module supports the combustion engine during acceleration by taking the energy from the intermediate storage, providing comfortable take-off ("boosting").
According to ZF, with the parallel hybrid – contrary to the more complex concepts of series and power-split hybrids – only one electric motor feeds power into the driveline in parallel to the combustion engine, so the engine can be designed smaller with the same savings potential, which is more favorable for the overall system.
Depending on the application and customer requirements, ZF can produce hybrid modules, with capacities between 10 and 100kW and a maximum torque of 100 to 1000Nm. In the mild hybrid version, DynaStart allows for start/stop operation as well as recuperation.
