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2. 48-Volt Electrical Systems: “Mild Hybrids”
Early attempts at so-called mikd bybrid systems, notably from General Motors, were largely met with yawns from the car-buying public. By combining lower-voltage batteries and weaker motors than what Toyota installed in a Prius, these systems managed to achieve far less of an efficiency gain while still costing nearly as much. Engineers now expect the advent of 48-volt electrical systems to enable new mild hybrids that achieve 70 percent of the improvement from a Toyota-style hybrid at only 30 percent of the cost. Since those earlier mild hybrids operated at 100 to 170 volts, they still required all the extra safety features of any system that exceeds 60 volts. With the 48-volt electrical architecture, new mild hybrids can use thinner-gauge wiring and lower-cost connectors while still providing some regenerative braking, electric power boost, and expanded auto stop-start capability.