TVS Motors earns patent for making a hybrid two-wheeler
TVS Motors, the Indian two and three-wheeler automotive giant, based out of Hosur, Tamil Nadu, is all set to realize its dream of making a hybrid two-wheeler. The manufacturer has earned a patent related to the power propulsion system that is to be incorporated in its future hybrid two wheelers.
TVS had earlier applied for a patent from the Chennai Patent Office back in 2008 and had claimed a power propulsion system designed for a hybrid two-wheeler provided with a hub motor which would minimize losses.
Normally, while the conventional internal combustion (IC) engines drive the motorized two wheelers, they also result in a higher fuel consumption and increased pollution. To counter this, vehicle manufacturers are looking at developing electric vehicles. But in order to overcome the limitations of an electric vehicle, hybrid vehicles are being developed, the company said in its patent specification.
The major problem with a hybrid two-wheeler which employs both the internal combustion engine and an electric motor is that even when the two-wheeler is powered by the electric motor, the mechanical gears of the motorcycle would still be running leading to loss of power, reduced range and increased maintenance cost.
To avoid this, TVS has developed a special hub which would decouple the gears provided for transmitting power from the IC engine thus reducing the load on the electric motor and thereby increasing its efficiency.
“The propulsion system disclosed in the patent application does away with extra motion transmitting parts like gearbox thereby being efficient in terms of net power transmitted to the traction wheel. Moreover, the disclosed propulsion system assumes a more rigid and compact shape as compared to the propulsion systems in the existing art,” said the company in its patent specification.
If the many speculations are to be true, the company has already been working on hybrid vehicles for the past decade. Its hybrid scooter concept by the name TVS Qube was showcased at the 2012 Auto Expo. A model IQube is also said to be under development in the company’s R&D facility.
