Transport efficiency in urban traffic: hybrid technology by MAN
MAN hybrid technology is an innovative solution for scheduled city bus services and distribution transport. In trucks and buses powered by conventional diesel engines almost one third of the braking energy is converted to heat which remains unused. The diesel-electric drive concept of MAN hybrid vehicles combines a low emissions approach with maximum cost-effectiveness thus increasing the transportation efficiency in urban traffic.
The MAN Lion's City Hybrid – the innovation for scheduled bus services
As the bus stops frequently and brakes are continuously applied in scheduled service, this is an ideal situation in which to deploy the MAN Lion's City Hybrid. The hybrid bus converts the braking energy stored into electricity which is used as the sole source of power to pull the bus away from the bus stop. This protects the waiting passengers from noise and exhaust fumes, saves resources and keeps CO2 and pollutant emissions to a minimum. A number of prototypes already used in regular scheduled service consume up to 30 percent less fuel than conventional diesel drives.
The MAN Lion's City Hybrid was created by combining the diesel-electric drive concept with a high-performance electric accumulator. An integrated energy management system controls the flow of energy between the accumulator and drive system. The means that the system behaves more efficiently and much less fuel is used. The energy from the brakes is stored in state-of-the-art high-performance capacitors (referred to as ultracaps). These are characterised, in contrast to other energy accumulators such as batteries or flywheel accumulators, by their particularly high power density, high power capability, high efficiency, reliability and zero maintenance requirements.
Second generation biofuels can also be used in the MAN Lion's City Hybrid which means that up to ten tons of greenhouse gas emissions can be saved every year for an average annual mileage of 60,000 kilometres.
For an environmentally friendly future
The advantages of the MAN Lion's City Hybrid
- Up to 30 percent less fuel consumption
- Optimum aerodynamics due to new efficiency design
- No noise and exhaust-gas emissions at bus stops
- Preservation of resources
- Maintenance-free braking energy accumulator tailored to service life of vehicle (ultracaps)
- Suitable for second generation biofuels
The MAN TGL 12.220 Hybrid: fuel efficiency for distribution transport
MAN presented the MAN TGL Hybrid, a fuel-saving transport solution for short-haul freight transport, at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2008. The TGL Hybrid with parallel hybrid technology achieves greater levels of efficiency, particularly in distribution traffic which is characterised by longer journeys and regular stops. This twelve tonner has an EEV four-cylinder 220 HP engine and a 60 kW electric motor as starter generator in the powertrain. The vehicle can be driven electrically, and therefore with low fuel consumption, via a clutch that disengages the electric motor and gearbox from the combustion engine.
With the TGL Hybrid, MAN engineers anticipate fuel-savings of up to 15 percent. The automatic start-stop system saves fuel when the engine is idling and electrical power obtained from braking energy is used when pulling the vehicle away – an otherwise fuel-intensive operation. MAN presented the first hybrid distribution truck with a crankshaft starter generator in 2001, and in 2006 came the TGL Hybrid with EDA, an electrodynamic moving-off element. In the medium-term, MAN is aiming for series production of the TGL Hybrid.
