Vehicle energy management solutions by HELLA India Automotive (HIA)

With growing global vehicle demand and an increasing greenhouse effect, the reduction of CO₂ emissions is being enforced by more and more governments worldwide. According to a WHO study released in May 2014, India is the 3^rd leading producer of CO₂ emissions globally and Delhi is the most polluted city in the world.

New legal limits on CO₂ emissions are forcing the automotive industry in India to develop and implement new solutions for improving the efficiency of idle combustion engine vehicles. In the long term, there is a growing need to implement alternative propulsion systems, like electric or hybrid vehicles.

Many countries are rapidly progressing along a defined electro-mobility roadmap. Electro-mobility in India has not seen widespread acceptance due to several reasons, such as the lack of government initiatives and the necessary infrastructure or technology. In 2014, the government introduced a visionary electro-mobility roadmap with the aim of significantly increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. However, no steps have been taken since then to follow through with this initiative.

Until the situation for electric-mobility improves, vehicle manufacturers are faced with the challenge of improving the efficiency of conventional vehicles. Currently, the average fuel efficiency of vehicles in India is ~16 km/l. According to recent update, Government wants passenger vehicle manufacturers to improve their overall fleet efficiency by at least 15% from April 2017 (which would improve the average to ~18.2 km/l) and further improve this to 22 km/l from April 2022.

HELLA, an electronics expert, is able to support vehicle manufacturers in their efforts to meet these targets through the benefits of the Fuel Pump Control Module (FCM), the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS), as well as a Voltage Stabilizer (VS).

HELLA FCM improves fuel economy using on-demand fuel pump control. The FCM ensures reliable operation with higher motor efficiency, less motor noise, and a longer lifetime (no brush wear). The HELLA FCM delivers precision control for fuel pumps, which allows the control of a variety of interfaces. The decrease in fuel consumption reduces CO₂ emissions.

Based on field data, around 70% power saving can be achieved through the FCM. This translates into fuel savings of around 1.5%. Savings are higher when driving in the city than on the highway. Due to traffic, changes in fuel demand are more frequent in the city. This situation is very common in Indian cities and towns. Reduced fuel demand results in slowing down the pump. Current consumption by the pump is lower at a slow pump speed. Hence, the realized saving is higher.

HELLA Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) is a further key component of many functions for reducing CO₂ emissions. It is also an important element for the regulation of energy generation, energy distribution, and energy storage in vehicles. The IBS provides precise measurements of current, voltage and temperature to determine the battery state parameters such as State of Charge (SOC), State of Health (SOH), and State of Function (SOF). With the information supplied by the IBS, the system can efficiently generate the exact amount of electrical energy needed at any time, distribute it intelligently, and ultimately store it in the best possible way. This ascertains a maximum availability and reliability of the vehicle’s functionality. When the IBS indicates to the intelligent alternator that the battery is charged, no further charging is necessary. The alternator is decoupled, which reduces the engine load and fuel consumption decreases.

HELLA Voltage Stabilizer (VS) is another key component to realize the ‘Stop-Start’ application. When a vehicle is stopped at traffic light, usually the engine will run at idle speed andit continues to consume fuel. The ‘Stop-Start’ system will switch-off the engine completely when the idle engine state is detected and will automatically switch on the engine after request. The voltage stabilizer enables the continued use of infotainment and navigation systems during engine cranking and the resulting battery voltage drop by avoiding any voltage disturbance on the driver and passenger noticeable loads.

HELLA KGaAHueck & Co., Lippstadt: HELLA is a global, family-owned company, listed on the stock exchange, with more than 30,000 employees at 100 locations in more than 35 countries. The HELLA Group develops and manufactures lighting and electronic components and systems for the automotive industry and also has one of the largest trade organizations for automotive parts, accessories, diagnosis, and services within Europe. In addition, complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems, and vehicle electrical systems are produced in joint venture companies. With more than 5,800 people working in research and development, HELLA is one of the most important innovation drivers on the market. In addition, with sales of approx. 5.3 billion euros in fiscal year 2013/2014, the HELLA Group is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest German industrial companies.