Ferrari has revved up the speculation surrounding the upcoming successor to the Enzo supercar by displaying at the Auto China expo in Beijing an updated V12 petrol/electric hybrid adapted to a mid-rear engine layout.
It not only has an electric motor couple to its dual-clutch gearbox, but there's another electric motor at the front, specifically to run the auxiliary systems.
The objective, says Ferrari, is to increase power while at the same time reducing emissions. The idea isn't new (it was first shown at Geneva in 2010) but the latest, two-motor version comes close to achieving Ferrari's stated target of developing one kilowatt for every kilogram added by the hybrid system.
F1-DERIVED TECHNOLOGY
Formula One technology was used to design and build a new electric motor that's tied into the car's torque management, traction control and brake distribution systems. It's mated to one of the transmission's two main shafts and delivers power through one of the gearbox's two clutches.
The result, according to Ferrari, is seamless power delivery between the electric motor and petrol engine. During braking, the electric motor acts as a generator, using kinetic energy to recharge the batteries, with an F1-derived ECU controlling power delivery to auxiliary systems such as power steering, brake servo, air conditioning and onboard systems.
Ferrari states that this is not an experimental system; it's a working prototype which will be used for development work, with the aim of reducing emission by 40 percent over the combined cycle while producing the same power as the V12 engine by itself.