Azure Dynamics Corporation has received Frost & Sullivan's Excellence in Emerging Technologies award in recognition of Azure's work in developing hybrid electric drivetrains.
Frost & Sullivan research analyst Rajesh Kannan said Azure Control System (ACS) technology “is designed to ensure the optimum use of vehicle components (battery, fuel cell, and/or internal combustion engine), thereby lowering production costs and reducing users' operating costs, fuel consumption, and exhaust emissions."
The technology incorporates real-time adaptive algorithms that change with actual operating conditions by sampling vehicle data and managing energy flow across the vehicle's components. Hybrid and electric vehicles (HEVs) employing the ACS technology are equipped with an electric motor, an energy storage system (batteries), and an additional energy source such as a small internal combustion engine combined with a generator, which facilitates energy regeneration during breaking to charge batteries. The system can also run on pure electric mode for extended periods, thereby reducing noise as well as an estimated fuel consumption and emission of 35% in European and 50% in the North American vehicles in urban applications.
Kannan said Azure is developing powertrain platforms based on ACS technology.