Magna Steyr Mila
Auto parts company, Magna Steyr, is setting itself up for a green future and they're using the Geneva Motor Show to publicize a new hybrid platform to car makers. Named, "Mila," the design consists of a a 67-horsepower electric motor and a 10-kilowatt battery pack. Mila will work in all-electric powertrains or gas-electric hybrid systems. Magna Steyr is marketing the technology as a way for car companies to incorporate electric cars into their lineups, without the cost and time required to research and design their own systems.
Mila's 32-mile all electric range and leisurely 17 second stroll to 62-mph are nothing to be excited about. Pair the electric motor with a gas engine and it gets more interesting though. Mila can be used in both series and parallel hybrid setups. Magna Steyr has also designed a lithium-ion battery module that incorporates load balancing software. This means multiple modules can be combined into battery packs of different sizes for different automotive applications without any single module overheating.
Magna Steyr hasn't licensed their technology to any automakers yet, but they do have a contract with Ford to design an electric drivetrain for a 2011 model. The vehicle will have an electric motor and a one-speed transmission, with a range of 100-miles. It's a start for a parts company pushing a new platform.
Source: cnet
