Chinese automobile manufacturer ChangAn Inc. has equipped a number of its vehicles in the Jiexun series with a mild-hybrid engine, using Infineon Technologies’ power electronics. The hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) will be used as taxis for athletes and spectators during the Olympic Games in Beijing. HEVs incorporate a combustion engine and an electric motor. Vehicles in the mild-hybrid category are able to store the energy created when braking in the battery in order to use it later for the electric motor.
Compared to current mild-hybrid solutions, Infineon’s electronic control unit and power electronics are one-third smaller and lighter. Measuring approximately 20 by 30 by 10 cm—about the size of a standard shoebox—a system based on Infineon’s power electronics weighs only 15 kg. In addition, it reduces electric power losses by up to 20%. The electrical energy saved can then be used again for powering the HEV.
Infineon
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