Amidst ongoing climate talks in Paris and a push to solidify a global climate contract, the pressure is on for governments and industry alike to keep global warming at bay.
The automotive industry, which has long been recognised as a big contributor to climate change, is also one of the major industries working to reduce emissions in order to help meet targets.
We’ve written before about the kind of growth expected in the hybrid vehicle segment over the next couple of years.
And while analysts expect electric vehicles to take off over the next four years, full-fledged electric and even hybrids are still not financially viable for a lot of consumers.
This is a big reason why top automotive manufacturers like Audi, BMW, GM and Toyota are starting to manufacture more and more micro hybrids.
These systems can help OEMs meet the need for fuel-efficient vehicles at much lower costs than hybrid or electric vehicles.
Parametric comparison of various hybrid vehicles
Micro hybrids have a start-stop mechanism that automatically shuts down the engine while idling and restarts the engine when the car accelerates. While they don’t provide the same level of fuel savings as full-blooded hybrids, micro hybrids are a good compromise since they can reduce fuel consumption by 5%-12%.
Additionally, micro hybrids can capture energy from braking, and are able to support higher loads when the engine is idle.
In terms of unit sales, the global micro hybrid vehicle market is expected to more than double and reach 14.18 million units in 2019, growing at a CAGR of 18.19%.
48V batteries will be a game changer for micro hybrids
Early micro hybrid vehicles had a 12V battery. However, the vehicles need more power and longevity than what conventional 12V lead-acid batteries can deliver.
This has spurred development of 48V batteries, which are now installed in Class 2 micro hybrids. Apart from the regenerative braking technologies, the 48V battery system helps provide support to the vehicle’s active chassis systems, and air conditioning compressors. The 48V can also be complemented with a 12V battery to help generate the additional power required to support these safety and luxury systems in the vehicle.
Depending more on the electrical system reduces the fuel emission levels significantly, which will be a big growth driver in the micro hybrid vehicle market over the projected period.
