Practically every car company around the globe is working overtime to build vehicles that are more efficient and ecologically friendly. The enormity of this challenge cannot be understated, though the good news for automakers is that there are myriad pathways that lead to a cleaner, greener future. Manufacturers can lean heavily on hybridization, or they can start introducing pure-electric powertrains, hydrogen fuel cells are promising, too, and even clean-burning biofuels could be a stopgap measure for existing vehicles.
Highlighting its engineering prowess while also showcasing several technologies that improve vehicle efficiency, tier 1 supplier company Magna’s EtelligentCommand demonstrator vehicle brings hybrid and EV powertrain systems together in one cleanly integrated and shockingly refined package. With a gasoline-electric drive under the hood, and a separate all-electric powertrain turning the rear wheels, engineers have crammed an enormous amount of capability into a relatively small Land Rover Range Rover Evoque SUV, and we put it all to the test on a snowy track in Michigan’s wintry Upper Peninsula.
Here’s What’s Going On Under The Hood
This luxury utility vehicle’s under-hood bits have been heavily modified, though the drivetrain is still centered around the original 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine. Rated at 197 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, this little go-getter can directly drive the Evoque’s wheels or charge its battery pack, either while driving or parked.
Magna engineers paired the engine with a five-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that also incorporates a 161-hp electric motor. “So, what we can really do is we can choose to operate just in an EV driving mode with the electric motor, or we can operate in conjunction with both the engine on and the EV drive mode,” said Will Lawrie, vehicle systems integration engineer at Magna in an interview with TopSpeed. A disconnecting clutch enables this bit of powertrain magic, allowing the engine to drive the vehicle through the transmission or completely shut down when not needed.
In a world of eight-, nine-, and 10-speed transmissions, a gearbox with just five ratios seems downright old-fashioned, but thanks to generous amounts of electric assist, additional gears really aren’t necessary in this application. Additionally, this dual-clutch transmission does some pretty clever things. For instance, the front electric motor directly drives through gears two or four, but since there are two clutches in the transmission, that dynamo can also drive through gears one, three, or five depending on conditions. This is a somewhat roundabout way of routing torque to the wheels, but it provides enormous flexibility.
“You can drive through any of the gears with any of the two powerplants,” explained Lawrie. “The EM (electric machine) may launch in second gear because that’s the most efficient operating mode for the EM from a standstill, and then the ICE (internal-combustion engine) … may go through gear one, so both of those gear paths are driving at the exact same time to the tires.” This is all a bit confusing, but it works remarkably well, and delivers shockingly potent performance, which we’ll get to in just a few paragraphs.
Ready And “Rear-ing” To Go
The other half of this Evoque’s powertrain is found at the rear. While much of the componentry under this demonstrator vehicle’s hood is not currently in production, Lawrie said that the rear drive unit is pretty much made from off-the-shelf bits and bobs Magna currently manufactures.
The electric motor driving the rear wheels delivers a maximum of 215 horsepower, a generous amount for a relatively small vehicle. There’s also a twin-clutch torque-vectoring system for better handling and more driver engagement. “This gives us the dynamic flexibility of being able to modulate torque left to right just from the system alone,” not via differential braking, Lawrie said. Torque vectoring capability at the rear axle allows the vehicle to go exactly where the driver points it, improving safety, and, if you disable the nannies, allowing the vehicle to get sideways like a drift car.
Front-Wheel-Drive Efficiency, All-Wheel-Drive Traction
Since this is just a demonstrator vehicle, albeit a surprisingly well-polished one, an OEM customer may not opt to employ all the technologies showcased. “They could be used in combination, or they could be used individually in different applications,” Lawrie said. “You can use the hybrid transmission with just a front-wheel-drive application if you wanted, you can use the rear e-drive to … supplement in a PHEV technology, or in a full EV application as well,” he added. This modular approach gives automakers huge flexibility in how they implement these powertrain systems.
Plug-In Hybrid Efficiency
Providing the juice needed by those two electric motors, the EtelligentCommand features a decently large battery with a usable capacity of 21.5 kilowatt-hours. Lawrie said this particular pack is not in production, as it was built specifically for this demonstrator vehicle, but an OEM partner could use any battery they wanted that fits the vehicle they’re working on and the budget.
On the charitable WLTP testing regimen, that energy reservoir provides an estimated 68 miles (110 km) of all-electric range, which should be more than enough for most drivers’ daily needs. Of course, those who have to travel farther than that can still rely on this vehicle’s combustion engine.
Big CO2 Savings
That heaping helping of electric range helps reduce this vehicle’s carbon footprint. Magna estimates that in real-world driving, the EtelligentCommand reduces CO2 output by 38 percent. The vehicle’s lifecycle sustainability is even better than that, with carbon emissions estimated to be reduced by 40 percent.
Quicker And Smoother Than You’d Ever Expect
With so many different systems and technologies tied together by who knows how many lines of software code, the EtelligentCommand is an automotive Frankenstein. Despite the complexity, though, this demonstrator works better than it has any right to.
Putting it all in motion on a snow-covered test track, this vehicle impresses with strong acceleration, unexpected smoothness, and excellent handling. For normal, everyday motoring, this SUV will happily launch smoothly and silently from a stop running exclusively on electric power. If you need a bit more oomph, or if you stab the accelerator pedal, the taps open, the combustion engine engages, and you are rocketed ahead like a golf ball struck by John Daly.
This stunning speed should not be a surprise. Combined, the gas engine and front-mounted electric motor deliver a peak of 358 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of twist. The motor at the rear axle is good for another 215 horses, which should bring this vehicle’s horsepower total to an impressive peak of 573. Aside from that straight-line speed, the EtelligentCommand is also shockingly smooth. Dual-clutch transmissions, particularly ones with dry clutches, are not usually known for their refinement, but this one shifts with imperceptible smoothness. Even when your right foot is firmly on the floor, and the engine is roaring, this gearbox still changes ratios with absolute smoothness.
What makes this refinement even more impressive is that Magna engineers didn’t do all the work themselves; they’re still using the factory Range Rover engine programming. “So, we don’t control timing, and spark, and all that,” said Lawrie. They did, however, work on the power inverters, traction control system, brake software, and the vehicle’s supervisory control, among other things.
It Goes Where You Want
The perfectly prepared snow fields at the testing facility were the ideal place to experience Magna’s torque-vectoring drive unit. “The rear axle, I would say, is less glamorous as we talk about it, but it is the star of the show when we talk about vehicle dynamic behavior,” Lawrie noted.
In the comfort drive mode, this vehicle handles well and even lets the backend step out a little in aggressive turns, but the stability control system is still waiting in the wings to keep things from getting out of hand. Selecting the sport or dynamic modes pushes the yaw limits even higher, but to really have fun, the safety nannies need to be disabled, which can be done at the push of a button.
Gettin’ Sideways
With stability control turned off, the EtelligentCommand will slide around practically like a muscle car fitted with bald tires being driven on wet pavement. A hearty poke of the accelerator pedal and a turn of the wheel is all it takes to get the vehicle sideways with a small dash of counter steering to keep things under control.
Sliding back and forth, weaving left and right is as amusing as it is effortless. This heavily modified Evoque has more than enough power to do stupid things, particularly on the snow, yet it’s easy to drive and still feels perfectly planted.
An Impressive Mélange Of Efficiency-Boosting Technology
The EtelligentCommand features an impressive amalgamation of efficiency-boosting drivetrain technologies. The refinement, performance, and handling capabilities this setup provides go far beyond what would normally be expected from a mere demonstrator vehicle.
Magna engineers have done a lot of work to make all this function as well as it does. Lawrie couldn’t confirm what automakers are currently using or will be implementing the technology showcased here, but any OEM looking for efficient, turnkey powertrain solutions would be wise to consider any of these systems.
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