PARIS, September 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeo is
presenting an electric show car at the Paris Motor Show. This
demonstration vehicle showcases a wide range of innovative
technologies that increase the autonomy of electric vehicles.
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Valeo's ambition is to become the preferred partner of
automakers in reducing CO2 emissions, and the show car demonstrates
both the Group's expertise and that of its partners in the area of
electric drivetrain and thermal management, as well as in products
that reduce the vehicle's energy consumption and weight.
Power electronics, improving efficiency and extending range
The electric motor is controlled by an inverter, a component
with considerable impact on performance. The high efficiency of
Valeo's inverter helps to extend range by reducing the consumption
of the drivetrain. The inverter also shares part of its circuit
with the battery charger and the motor, helping to reduce mass and
cost.
Thermal management, optimizing energy flows
Valeo's new thermal architecture for electric vehicles has three
interacting fluid loops that recover energy where it is lost and
deliver it to where it is needed. This global architecture
guarantees the reliability of the drivetrain components, passenger
comfort and maximum range.
Thermal accumulator: 10% extra range in cold weather
Valeo's new thermal accumulator stores a considerable amount of
heat when the battery is charging. This source of heat, independent
from the battery, extends range by around 10% in cold weather.
Alternatively, Valeo has developed a heat pump system that reduces
the electricity requirement for heating and extends range even
further.
Optimized air-conditioning compressor
The show car's air conditioning has an electrically driven
scroll compressor, which offers high efficiency, low noise and
vibrations, and reduced size in order to facilitate its integration
into the vehicle.
Thermal management of the battery to deliver maximum energy
The temperature of the lithium-ion battery is controlled by a
water loop, which is hot or cold according to the need, and which
delivers maximum energy in all circumstances. Valeo also offers
alternative solutions, including an air circulation system, a
direct cooling system using a refrigerant, and a reversible
thermo-electric hot-cold system.
Smart key to communicate with the vehicle
The user has a smart key which displays the battery's charge
level up to 500 meters from the car. It can also order the car to
activate climate control prior to travel, by turning on the heating
or air conditioning while the vehicle is connected to the grid.
Low consumption low beam LEDs
20W low beam LEDs provide equivalent light to 60W halogen bulbs.
When used with front and rear LED position lamps, this technology
alone increases range at night by at least 2%.
New multifunction control panel
The show car's dashboard has a control panel with a particularly
high-quality finish. It stands out both for its style and for the
ergonomics of the various user interfaces. In order to meet
increasingly exacting demands for quality, the climate control and
radio functions have been grouped together, reducing the size of
the panel and standardizing all the functions that interface with
the driver or passengers.
New safety and driving assistance functions
Valeo has a system that detects pedestrians on the vehicle's
trajectory and emits a sound signal targeted at the area in which
they are located. In order to do this, the show car has cameras and
ultrasonic sensors that ensure this as well as additional
functions: automatic docking (automatic cable-free connection),
semi-automatic parallel or perpendicular parking, assistance
exiting a parallel parking space, automatic switching between high
and low beams, BeamAtic(R) Premium, speed limit sign recognition
and lane departure warning.
Revolutionary new wiper system
In place of the traditional nozzle spray system, the
AquaBlade(R) wiper uses a tube inside the blade to spread the
washer fluid evenly across the windshield. Unlike the spray system,
therefore, it preserves visibility during wiping, and halves the
amount of washer fluid required. Valeo has also developed
direct-drive synchronized motors with no linkage between the two
wiper blades. These innovations reduce the weight of the system by
a total of 3.7 kg.
Valeo is an independent group, fully focused on the design,
production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules
for the automobile industry, mainly for the reduction of CO2
emissions. It is one of the world's leading automotive suppliers.
The Group has 117 plants, 21 research centers, 40 development
centers and 10 distribution platforms and employs 56,000 people in
27 countries worldwide.
For more information about the Valeo Group and its activities,
please visit our web site http://www.valeo.com.
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