1103-019

Ms. Caruso

UWRT 1103

April 3, 2017

Defense Paper: Electric Powertrains

As we progress into the future, technology is developing at an increasing rate, and so is

the population. As the population grows, so does the demand for transportation. What many

people fail to realize is what will we do when there are no more fossil fuels, or when our planet

becomes so polluted we can no longer use our cars for transportation, what kind of technology

will be used to maintain our current state of mass transportation. Luckily, the advancements in

technology are being applied to automobiles, and these systems will eventually be the prominent

form of transportation. The advancements in technology include smaller displacement engines

that are boosted and hybrid technologies implemented into cars (Kuhn, Mark). Many people in

the United States have no idea what these new systems involve or how they work, so to change

this I have created an interactive model of the two major powertrains that predicted to be the

powertrains of the future.

Most average Americans do not know how these systems work and the components used

to make them. The goal of my product is to display these systems in a way that people can

understand the components and how they work together to create propulsion. In a study

conducted in 2011 by AutoMD.com, two thirds of teenagers do not know how to change a flat

tire, check or change the oil, or jumpstart a battery. In order to help people gain basic knowledge

on the workings of cars, I created two interactive models of different powertrain types, which are

the components that create and transfer the energy used to propel a car, to be placed in a
childrens science museum. For example, at the Museum of Life and Science in Raleigh NC,

children are exposed to many basics in the field of science. Some of these basics include

aerospace, wildlife, contraptions, and dinosaurs. By displaying the interactive model in these

museums, children will gain a basic understanding of how these systems work as well as their

parents that bring them to the museum.

In order to show how these advancements in technology are being applied to the

drivetrains of vehicles, I am going to create two cutaways of cars to expose the key components

of the powertrains. The cutaways are going to be created using 3-D CAD, computer aided

drawing, software. Once the parts are created they will be assembled together and displayed

within the program. The model can either be displayed within the software, or it may be 3-D

printed so that people will be able to see a tangible model. Both scenarios allow for the users to

interact with the models to see the components used to make them. The two powertrains that I

am going to include are a turbocharged internal combustion engine seen in most modern cars,

and an electric powertrain found in most electric cars. Within the cutaways will be the key

components of each system in a different color to differentiate between the components. For the

internal combustion engine model the components that will be included are the engine, turbo,

transmission, drive shaft, and differential (How cars work). Each of these components are crucial

for the powertrain to function. Along with the model will be a small description of each

component and how they function in the system. For the electric powertrain, I am going to

include the generator, battery, and electric motors (Powertrain components for cars).

The reason for choosing a powertrain that utilizes a boosted combustion engine and

another that uses an electric system is because they are the powertrains that are expected to be

utilized in the future. As the population continues to grow, more and more people become reliant
on cars for personal transportation. With the increase of people relying on cars for transportation

the amount of fuel consumed will also increase. To prolong the lifespan of these fossil fuels that

are in limited supply, corporations have been making technological advancements that increase

fuel efficiency or use another source of energy (Kahn, Mark). The advancements made include

boosting the vehicles and producing electric powertrains. Boosting allows car manufacturers to

use a smaller displacement engine while maintaining the power larger sized engines can achieve.

This helps in fuel efficiency by reducing weight and by reducing the fuel consumed by the

engine (Severson, Aaron). However, eventually systems that utilize the burning of fossil fuels

will need to be replaced as our supplies begin to run out. To account for this companies have

begun to develop electric cars. These cars use a battery powered system that powers electric

motors in order to create propulsion for the car (How do electric cars and hybrids work). These

systems may also work in tandem with a combustion motor either to power the battery or also

drive one of the axles aiding the electric motors at higher speed.

As I have stated before, the main goal of my product is to provide a basic

understanding of these powertrains and the components used to crate them. By placing them in

childrens science museums, children will be able to explore the inner workings of these systems,

as well as their parents. However, for my project I was unable to 3-D print the model due to time

constraints. Although, I was able to use the 3-D software to create the models in a virtual reality

still allowing the users to see the components required to make these systems. Also, I have

created brief descriptions of each component and how they are utilized within the systems to

give the users a better understanding of each component.

 Works Cited

Original Sources:

A1sweden. "Porsche 918 Spyder drivetrain explained." YouTube. October 02, 2013. Accessed

February 22, 2017.

Explained, Engineering. "Engineering Explained: The Pros And Cons Of Turbochargers Vs

Superchargers." Car Throttle. May 18, 2015. Accessed February 20, 2017.

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/engineering-explained-the-pros-and-cons-of-

turbochargers-vs-superchargers/.

Kuhn, Mark S. "Automotive Powertrain Technologies through 2016 and 2025." Lecture,

Marketing New Powertrain Technologies: Strategies in Transition, University of

Michigan, February 15, 2012. Ricardo Strategic Consulting

Macalister, Terry. "Green really is the new black as Big Oil gets a taste for renewables." The

Observer. May 21, 2016. Accessed February 22, 2017.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/21/oil-majors-investments-renewable-

energy-solar-wind.

MIT Electric Vehicle Team. Electric Powertrains. PDF. April 2008.

"Pros and Cons of Turbo Charged Engines." Automotive Training Centre. June 27, 2014.

Accessed February 22, 2017. http://www.autotrainingcentre.com/blog/pros-and-cons-

turbo-charged-engines/.

Severson, Aaron. "The Basics of Turbocharging and Supercharging." Ate Up With Motor.

September 07, 2016. Accessed February 22, 2017. http://ateupwithmotor.com/terms-

technology-definitions/turbocharging-and-supercharging/.
"The future of oil." The Economist. November 26, 2016. Accessed February 20, 2017.

http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21710628-worlds-use-oil-approaching-

tipping-point-writes-henry-tricks-dont-expect.

New Sources:

Two Thirds of Teen Drivers Dont Know Basic Auto Repair. U.S. News. September 19, 2011.

Accessed April 3, 2017. https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-

notes/2011/09/19/two-thirds-of-teen-drivers-dont-know-basic-auto-repair

"How Cars Work." Global Cars Brands. January 30, 2015. Accessed April 03, 2017.

https://www.globalcarsbrands.com/how-cars-work/.

"Powertrain components for cars." Powertrain components for cars - Electromobility - Siemens.

Accessed April 03, 2017.

http://w3.siemens.com/topics/global/en/electromobility/pages/powertrain-ecar.aspx.

"How do electric cars and hybrids work?" Explain that Stuff. April 06, 2017. Accessed April 10,

2017. http://www.explainthatstuff.com/electriccars.html.