Abstract
KEYWORDS:
automotive propulsion, internal combustion engines, electric motors, fuel cells, hybrid propulsion, regenerative fuels, batteries, energy management
ABSTRACT:
The development of propulsion systems for future automobiles is moving from the polarization on the engine itself up to the optimization of the whole energetic system - from the utilized energy form through their accumulation or conversion on board to the propulsion. The energetic efficiency, the technical complexity and the environmental impact of any configuration of a propulsion system become in this form valuable within a complete energetic chain from the exploitation of an energy form to the wheel
movement.
The internal combustion engine will maintain a dominant role in automotive propulsion, determined by the existing development potential and by the extremely strong base in terms of technological and human resources. However, his function within the entire propulsion system will partially change. On the other hand, the fuel cell moves increasingly from direct propulsion alternative to an efficient current generator on
board, independently on the propulsion system itself. In a complementary context the replacement of fossil fuels appears more and more as realistic, being determined by the limited availability as well as by pollution and CO2 emission. From this point of view regenerative fuels such as alcohols and vegetable oils demonstrate clear advantages in comparison with hydrogen, which is still produced from fossil energy sources, requiring a very sophisticated stockage technique.