Eco-friendly black cab joins green technologies in Brighton to London rally

Hybrid electric black cab, all electric superbike and hybrid fuel cell go-cart feature in Eco Rally to raise awareness about low carbon technologies – News

Tuesday 7 July 2010
By Colin Smith

The world’s first hybrid diesel-electric black cab is one of three green vehicle technologies developed at Imperial College London that will be showcased in a low emission rally today.

Sixteen teams are entering a range of low emission vehicles in the Bridgestone ECO Rally, which is supported by Imperial and which has been organised to demonstrate the latest in green vehicle technology.

Low carbon cab

The prototype low emission black cab has been developed by researchers at EVO Electric, an Imperial spin-out company.  The hybrid is 60% more fuel efficient than current diesel powered black cabs.

Engineers at EVO have developed a system underneath the bonnet that has three different modes, depending on driving conditions, which maximise the car’s fuel efficiency and minimise its impact on the environment.

In mode one, the car uses electric motors powered by batteries, which reduces the car’s CO₂emissions, making it more economical in congested situations where there are lots of stops and starts. Over long distances, the car uses its diesel powered combustion engine, which is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly on long journeys. When the cab is being driven for long periods of time in congested conditions, mode three switches on. This uses the diesel engine intermittently to re-charge the car’s battery, ensuring the electric motors do not run out of power.

Dr Ralph Clague, chief engineer of hybrid systems at EVO and a research fellow at the Energy Futures Lab at the College, says:

“For many, catching a ride in a black cab is a guilty pleasure because these vehicles emit high levels of CO₂, especially in congested city streets where the taxi driver has to stop and start a lot. Besides being great fun, we hope that by entering the ECO Rally we can raise awareness in the community and the taxi industry that there are cost-effective cars, which have a much lower impact on the environment."

All-electric superbike

Ben Smith (right) and Andrew O'Dell Vnukov working on the all-electric Hayabusa

A team of undergraduates from the Department of Mechanical Engineering will display their all-electric Suzuki ‘Hayabusa’ superbike at the finishing line in London. The team, who bought their motorbike on eBay, have removed its standard combustion engine and refitted it with 90 battery cells, twin electric motors, each outputting 16kW of energy, and a Battery Management System that constantly monitors and adjusts the battery voltage to maximise the bike’s energy efficiency.

The undergraduates have been working with Imperial researchers on last-minute electrical alterations to the superbike. They hope to race the bike in the Anglesey TTX GP UK Series later this month.

Imperial Racing Green

Undergraduates who are part of the Imperial Racing Green (IRG) project are also planning to display their fuel cell vehicle at the finishing line, which is near the Royal Albert Hall. The IRG project is an Initiative of the Energy Futures Lab, the College’s hub for energy research. 

The IRG project draws on the expertise of undergraduates across the Faculty of Engineering. They have designed and built a range of zero emission go-carts including in IRG05, which will go on show at the Rally. The IRG05 vehicle’s frame is made from aluminium, making it ultra light, which increases its fuel efficiency and speed. It is powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which means that water is the only type of emission that comes out of the exhaust pipe.

The ECO rally will start along Brighton’s Madeira Drive and finish at the Royal Albert Hall, where IRG students will showcase their go-cart, along with the vehicles that were entered into the rally. The team, who designed and built their hybrid zero emission go-cart from scratch, hope to raise awareness by speaking to passers by about the future benefits of fuel cell technology.