FIAT MILD HYBRID LATEST...500 & PANDA
The new Mild Hybrid Fiat 500 and the Panda will be available in a special unique series: the exclusive “Launch Edition”, with the debut of the new gasoline Mild Hybrid engine that combines the latest 3-cylinder FireFly 1 liter 70 HP (51,5 kW) engine family with a 12-volt BSG (Belt-integrated Starter Generator) electric motor and a lithium battery. Compared to the 1.2 69 HP Fire, the Mild Hybrid version improves fuel efficiency, thus reducing CO2 emissions on average by 20% and up to 30% for the Panda Cross, without foregoing performance. It also ensures a very high standard of driving comfort thanks to the BSG system, which allows for quiet, vibration-free restarting of the internal combustion engine in Stop&Start mode. Customers also benefit from all the advantages of going hybrid (the car is Euro 6D Final-compliant, for instance), which, depending on local regulations, include freedom of access and movement in city centres, cheaper parking in town centres and tax breaks.
How the FCA Mild Hybrid Technology Works
The new gasoline Mild Hybrid engine, which builds on the heritage of the famous Fire engine, more than 30 million of them were produced, implements a 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine configuration with peak power output of 70 hp (51,5 kW) at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 92 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The cylinder head has two valves per cylinder and a single camshaft with continuous variable valve timing (the timing is chain-driven). The structure includes a compact combustion chamber, high-tumble intake ducts and external EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), providing a remarkably high compression ratio (12:1), which translates into better thermal efficiency. The crankcase, developed in collaboration with Teksid, is made of high-pressure die-cast aluminium alloy with cast-iron cylinder liners, to reduce startup times and contain the weight of the engine to just 77 kg. Additionally, friction is reduced using a crank mechanism with a bore/stroke ratio of 1.24 and a connecting rod/crank device with a 10 mm offset to maximise efficiency.
The BSG system is mounted directly on the engine and is operated by the belt that also drives the auxiliaries. The system recovers energy during braking and deceleration, stores it in a lithium battery with a capacity of 11 Ah, and uses it, at a peak power of 3,6 kW, to restart the engine in Stop&Start mode and to assist it during acceleration.
This technology allows the internal combustion engine to switch off, even at speeds below 30 km/h, simply by shifting into neutral (the dashboard, which displays information on the hybrid system, prompts the driver when to do so). In coasting mode, the lithium battery powers all services, ensuring the driver has full control of the vehicle.