Linamar Shows Bolt-On Electric Drive

Canadian auto supplier Linamar Corp. has developed a bolt-on electric rear drive designed to turn a conventional front-drive vehicle into an all-wheel-drive hybrid, Green Car Congress reports.

Linamar described the system, dubbed the Agilit-e Hybrid Power Unit, during this week's SAE 2013 World Congress in Detroit.

The device houses two 75-kW electric motors in a unit that attaches between the rear axle's halfshafts. The motors, one for each rear wheel, are powered by a 9-kWh lithium-ion battery installed elsewhere in the vehicle. Each motor is coupled with a one-speed reduction gear.

Linamar is demonstrating the technology in a retrofitted Cadillac SRX small crossover. The company says its system can power the test vehicle in electric-only mode as far as 30 km (19 miles) and reach a top speed of 138 kph (81 mph).

The bolt-on power unit enables three drive modes: front drive using only the vehicle's piston engine, rear drive using only the Agilit-e unit and a combination of both power sources for all-wheel drive.

Each motor in the system can be controlled separately, thus allowing torque vectoring with a response time of less than 50 milliseconds, according to Linamar. The company notes that carmakers could tailor this feature to enhance vehicle stability during sudden turns and in slippery conditions.