Continental is electrifying one diesel variant of both the new Renault Scénic and Grand Scénic models. The system, offered as a "Hybrid Assist" uses a 48-volt hybrid drive in production vehicles for the first time.
The technology is a particularly cost-efficient solution to significantly reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Instead of the conventional starter generator, the system uses an electric motor with a continuous output of six kilowatts (10kW temporary), which drives the crankshaft of the engine via a belt. The electric motors with integrated inverter are supplied from the Continental plant in Nuremberg.
Since 2013, Continental engineers have been working together with Renault on a hybrid drive, which is so cost-efficient to produce that it becomes an appealing option for mid-size vehicles.
To achieve this, the development partners have used low-voltage hybrid technology, which operates at 48 volts. This is in contrast with the considerably more expensive high-voltage technology, which operates at between 300 and 400 volts and is usually used in hybrid vehicles.
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