Motorcycles

Vitesco now offers a hybrid motorcycle system; here are the pros and cons

Vitesco now offers a hybrid motorcycle system; here are the pros and cons
Going hybrid can double available torque, cut emissions by 75%, and give you silent EV mode, reverse gear and other benefits while adding just 20 kg to the weight and less than US$1,000 to the price of a production bike, says Vitesco
Going hybrid can double available torque, cut emissions by 75%, and give you silent EV mode, reverse gear and other benefits while adding just 20 kg to the weight and less than US$1,000 to the price of a production bike, says Vitesco
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Going hybrid can double available torque, cut emissions by 75%, and give you silent EV mode, reverse gear and other benefits while adding just 20 kg to the weight and less than US$1,000 to the price of a production bike, says Vitesco
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Going hybrid can double available torque, cut emissions by 75%, and give you silent EV mode, reverse gear and other benefits while adding just 20 kg to the weight and less than US$1,000 to the price of a production bike, says Vitesco
Taking a 401cc Husqvarna streetbike as a base, Vitesco has proven its hybrid system in a prototype
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Taking a 401cc Husqvarna streetbike as a base, Vitesco has proven its hybrid system in a prototype
The motor and master controller both come from Vitesco's existing auto parts catalogue
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The motor and master controller both come from Vitesco's existing auto parts catalogue
Its mother says it's a very good looking chap
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Its mother says it's a very good looking chap
View gallery - 4 images

German company Vitesco believes emission laws will start forcing motorcycle companies to use hybrid power, and has presented an example of a hybridized Husky at this year's EICMA expo to give us an idea of how performance and weight will be affected.

Designed for motorcycles over 125cc, Vitesco's kit includes a 48-volt, 12-kW (16-hp) electric motor – indeed, it's a starter/generator from Vitesco's automotive supply business.

There's also an automated "smart transmission" with a centrifugal clutch and an "intelligent actuator," and a "powertrain domain control unit" capable of sending power to the electric motor, the combustion motor, or both.

The battery pack is relatively tiny – just 1.5 kWh of energy storage. But if you stay below 60 km/h (37 mph), like you typically would around town anyway, it's enough battery for a useful 30 km (18.6 miles) of range running solely on electric power.

Taking a 401cc Husqvarna streetbike as a base, Vitesco has proven its hybrid system in a prototype
Taking a 401cc Husqvarna streetbike as a base, Vitesco has proven its hybrid system in a prototype

Vitesco says that the entire system as fitted to what looks like a 401cc Husqvarna Svartpilen adds some 20 kg (44 lb) – not a small intrusion. But on the other hand, it cuts tailpipe emissions by around 75% in a standard WMTC test cycle, it nearly doubles the torque output of the unmodified Husky, giving it "more punch than a conventional bike with a 1,000cc engine."

Clearly, this is a tech demo prototype, and as such it's a bit of a dog's breakfast to look at. But Vitesco says that if properly integrated into a production motorcycle, the hybrid system would add less than US$1,000 to the cost of the bike.

That's not bad, considering it'll give you a pretty serious performance boost, as well as a reverse gear, regenerative braking, and the ability to turn off your engine and whizz around town silently and clutchlessly as a zero-emissions vehicle.

The motor and master controller both come from Vitesco's existing auto parts catalogue
The motor and master controller both come from Vitesco's existing auto parts catalogue

These hybrids will be lighter and cheaper than fully electric motorcycles, while generally beating them on range, and offering the very handy ability to pop into a gas station and fill up.

It's a pretty compelling solution that could take motorcyclists three quarters of the way to full decarbonization, while adding to a bike's fun factor with the addition of that instant electric torque and not asking too much in return when it comes to weight and cost. Vitesco is a supplier to the auto and moto industries, and will make the system available to manufacturers, but there's no word as yet on when we might see one in production.

"For medium-sized and large motorcycles with combustion engines, we expect that future exhaust emission limits can only be met by using hybridization in combination with an automated manual transmission," said Torsten Bellon, Vitesco's head of 2-Wheeler & Powersports products, in a press release.

Its mother says it's a very good looking chap
Its mother says it's a very good looking chap

"With this aim in mind, our development focus was initially entirely on reducing CO2," he continued. "Over the past twelve months, we have adapted the technology, which originated in the passenger car segment, to meet the specific requirements of motorcycles, developing many additional functions that are only possible with an electrified powertrain. During our development work, it became increasingly clear that our hybrid concept opens up completely new possibilities for making motorcycling more dynamic, more comfortable and safer. We exploited these options and are now in a position to support manufacturers with an easy-to-implement, low-cost and highly effective system."

See it in action in the video below.

Vitesco's sub-$1000 motorcycle hybridization kit doubles torque, reduces emissions by 75%

Source: Vitesco Technologies

View gallery - 4 images
6 comments
6 comments
TechGazer
I'm not sure about this concept. If your usage is urban commuting, you don't need an engine. If you enjoy long road trips, the electric part doesn't get used much (and the extra weight increases fuel consumption). Is this just a way to get around government regulations, the way truck-bodied vehicles avoided 'car' regulations? I don't know what the "standard WMTC test cycle" is, but does that really reflect the majority of larger-than-125cc motorcycle usage?
Chase
@TechGazer, not everyone uses their bikes for one scenario or the other and not everyone can afford or has a place to park two bikes. A slightly heavier bike may make sense for a surprisingly large segment of the motorcycling community in the next decade or two.
GraemeAlexanderPosker
OK, I can see this as a viable step forward. Yes it's a bit of a dog's breakfast in prototype form, but it will get better when designed from the ground up. It seems that the penalty for the extra mass of the system will be more than made up for with greater efficiencies of the electrified transmission of power to the back wheel. Free reverse gear will also be welcomed by sidecar builders and even trikers. And of course, those in places that will struggle to provide adequate charging infrastructure can remain mobile whilst still reducing their carbon footprint. And if I try and jump on an e-bike and do my usual 950km day ride(Melbourne to Newcastle AU) to my Dad's place-well that won't work at the present rate of battery charging(even if there were charging stations)- but a hybrid most likely will do it just like my ICE bike
ljaques
I like the concept and most of the implementation. It seems to work well. But those two immense battery boxes behind the rider add a lot of weight. Hmm, where can I get a 125 to play with? Build a hybrid YZ with juice and lights for the road and Yammer for the dirt. Perfect. (kinda)
Mayhem
I've been thinking about hybrid implementation on a cruiser for several years now. Having the extra torque to make a big cruiser move out and help with reverse seems to make a lot of sense, I also reckon that it will be nice for smaller, urban focused bikes.
Seasherm
Like gas engines in cars, the future is for all auxiliaries to be electrical run, and none to be belt or chain driven. No camshaft, that can be done electrically. Once the ICE is stripped of all the stuff that breaks, hybrids start to look much better.