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Ferrari Plans KERS Crossover
Written by: Autocar staff   http://www.autocar.co.uk
07/25/2008 - 04:03 PM
Maranello, Italy
 
F1-honed KERS technology could give Ferrari a jump start to increasing the green value of its road cars. (LAT photo) ยป More Photos

Ferrari is planning to cut the C02 emissions of its cars by 40 percent before 2012 – and company president Luca di Montezemolo has suggested that hybrid power will be a part of that process.

“We are currently working on the development of a Ferrari that will use alternative energy sources based on what we are doing at the moment in Formula 1,” said Montezemolo.

His comment was taken as confirmation that Ferrari is developing a road version of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that its F1 team will be employing beginning next season. Company sources say that the first road-going Ferrari is likely to be the range-topping Enzo replacement, which will act as a technical showcase for the brand’s future direction.

KERS is a “mild hybrid” system that stores energy during braking and then uses it to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption. Future Ferraris are likely to be fitted with a small
battery to store this regenerated energy, which will then be used to power a small electric motor. The motor can be used to boost acceleration and to keep the transmission spinning quickly, speeding up gearchanges.

Mild hybrid integration – in combination with more lightweight technology – should enable Ferrari to downsize its engines. Turbocharged V6 powerplants are thought to be strong possibility, and a powertrain prototype utilizing a modified 360 was recently spotted during testing.

This is a logical step for Ferrari, which has committed to reducing the environmental impact of its models. The new California roadster is likely to be the most fuel-efficient car in the company’s history.

Di Montezemolo has insisted that while the company is aware of environmental issues, any of its cars using green technology will still be “fundamentally a Ferrari.”

Will Powell/Autocar
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