At the last round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone Peugeot unveiled its FAP equipped 908 electric hybrid racecar. The 908HY is powered by a 700bhp V12 HDi diesel engine. In addition, the 908 HY is able to recover energy otherwise dissipated through the brakes using a 60kW electric motor, which also substitutes for the conventional starter motor. The recovered energy is stored in an array of 10 battery packs each comprised of 60 individual lithium-ion cells.
Stored energy can then be used to drive the racecar in various modes: in conjunction with the engine to boost the power output by 80bhp, in conjunction with the engine to save fuel (3-5%), or as stand alone motive power - when in the pit lane for example. An electronic power converter, located in the front left wing, controls the flow of energy between the batteries and motor-generator. Recovering this otherwise wasted energy creates a significant improvement in overall vehicle efficiency.
The 908HY also features Peugeot's FAP (Filtre a Particules), which has been used in its road cars since 2000. The FAP is a diesel particulate filter that removes soot from the exhaust; a vehicle equipped with this filter should emit no visible smoke.
Michel Barge, Director of Peugeot Sport stated: "The 908 is in perfect keeping with the overall mission of our endurance racing programme. Not only meeting the challenge of successfully completing the course, but also as a research and development tool for the Peugeot brand. Running a hybrid vehicle in an endurance race would earn Peugeot valuable experience that would benefit the development of production cars."
Whether Peugeot employs this technology in the forthcoming season will depend on new regulations that will govern LMP1 cars from 2009, yet to be published by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. We're hoping to get a closer look at the 908HY at next month's
Paris Motor Show.
Thomas Newby - 14 Sep 2008