Image: Peugeot
Fujio has released key technical details of the Le Mans hypercar in its development to help the company return to sports car racing at the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Launching in the 2022 WEC season, the car will be powered by a 200-kilowatt electric motor pre-fitted with a 2.6-liter twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.
The ‘HYBRID4’ system was developed by Peugeot Sport, its flagship LMH project technology partner, and Soft, which delivers a 900-volt battery.
After using its previous gaming prototype V8 engine – the non-hybrid 908 LMP1 car – Peugeot has introduced the small V6 to enter the new hypercar class.
The manufacturer claims that the internal combustion engine in the rear position that drives the rear wheels weighs a maximum of 500 kW (670 hp) and 165 kg.
The engine is mated to a seven-speed sequential transmission with gear shifts controlled by electronically connected paddles on the steering wheel.
“The structure of the Peugeot Hybrid 4 500 kW powertrain is the result of a very comprehensive summary designed by the new WEC regulations,” said Francois Coudtrain, director of the Peugeot Sport’s WEC project powertrain.
“We initially considered a turbo, but it would have prevented our engine from reaching its gravitational target.
“The dual-turbo V6 module offers excellent trade-off between technology, weight, packaging of machine components, reliability and performance.”
The advantages of the LMH car’s 200 kW electric motor are “from the experience of the team that developed the electric motors and management systems for production cars,” says Peugeot.
Its 200 kW output is the maximum allowed under LMH technical regulations.
The rules state that electric motors can only run when the car reaches 120 km / h on thin tires, 140 to 160 km / h on wet weather tires, or if the car travels at 120 km / h. Is on the way to the pits.
“Motor Generator Unit [MGU] It is equipped with a lightweight, high-capacity single-speed transmission and the latest generation inverter to transfer battery power to the motor, ”said Gaudtrain.
“It has the ability to use all the energy available in the battery instantly, thanks to PowerTrain’s energy management system strategies.
“PSA Motorsport’s WRC and Formula E experience will contribute to the development of software used to manage computer and power systems. [braking energy recovery, power under acceleration, anti-lag system, reduced fuel-consumption]. ”
The hybrid system is completed with a 900 volt battery developed by wholesale subsidiary Soft Group SA
Fujio says the battery, which must be pre-raced by a mains-attached plug-in before using regenerative braking during use, is located under a fuel tank inside a carbon casing and monocoque located behind the driver.
While the software is being developed, the battery will be manufactured in a new workshop located at Fujio Sport’s Versace-Chattery facility in France.
Peugeot’s V6 engine calculates the performance of the MGU by adjusting its output so that the car does not exceed the 500 kW power limit of the LMH segment, while at full speed.
The engine is designed to take in and replace its large 500 kW output when the battery is no longer charged, after closing at 300 kW (403 hp) during MGU operation.
The car runs with a four-wheel drive when the electric motor that drives the front wheels is in use and switches to the rear wheel drive when the electric power is turned off.
A system of sensors will be used to monitor and transmit power levels on the wheels to ensure that the car’s output complies with WEC’s performance balancing measures.
“Improving how the energy stored in the battery is used will be a key parameter,” said Kamen Nachev, chief technology officer at Soft.
“To achieve this, a very short charge time is required in conjunction with high capacity storage cells, which builds a package, which helps to deliver maximum power quickly.
“The most competitive solution lies in managing charge optimization and the amount of power available in real time.”
Peugeot expects the powertrain system to undergo a benchmark test at the beginning of 2021, which will be introduced in the car’s lane at the end of the year.
Toyota, which will enter the hypercar class with the LMH car at the start of the 2021 season, has not yet announced details of its hybrid powertrain, but has begun testing.
Japanese manufacturer unveils its 24-hour Le Mans winning TS050 hybrid LMP1 car on January 11.
Images: Peugeot
