Hybrid Powertrain Systems Engineering

Customers and manufacturers of off-highway equipment have never before been faced with so many powertrain options. The challenge of arriving at an optimal solution is complicated by the sheer range of operational duty cycles that off-highway equipment – from construction equipment and industrial vehicles to agricultural tractors and harvesters – are subjected to throughout their working lives. Ricardo is ideally placed to assist with the challenge of identifying the whole-life cost-optimal solution using robust hybrid technologies – including hydraulic, mechanical and electrical systems – to meet legislative and operational demands.

As a leading player in off-highway hybrid technology Ricardo offers:

• Comprehensive hybrid system capability from specification, design, engineering and development to homologation, production implementation and warranty management
• Energy storage selection and battery pack design and testing
• Supplier selection for a wide range of powertrain and driveline solutions
• Advanced CAE tools for architecture definition and vehicle systems modelling
• Component, system and sub-systems development, testing and validation
• Prototype vehicle build and production implementation of all forms of hybrid and electric vehicle
• Electrical and control system integration including the development of electronic control units, electric machines, high voltage harnesses and full EMC development
• Safety analysis and implementation of safety critical control systems
• Hybrid driveline and transmission design, development and prototype manufacture on both tracked and wheeled vehicle applications
• Engine design and optimisation for hybrid applications