TVS Motor moves closer to making a hybrid two-wheeler, earns patent

Two-wheeler major TVS Motor has earned patent related to a power propulsion system for a hybrid two-wheeler. 

The application was filed on 2008 with the Chennai Patent Office making claims related to a power propulsion system for a hybrid two-wheeler provided with a hub motor.

While the conventional motorised two-wheeled vehicles are driven by an internal combustion (IC) engine, considering the higher fuel consumption and increased pollution in the world, companies have been looking at moving to electronic vehicles. In order to overcome the limitations in the electronic vehicles, there are also efforts to bring in hybrid in the segment, said the company's patent specification.

A hybrid two-wheeler vehicle employs two power sources, an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Usually, the internal combustion engine is the main source of power, while the electric motor provides supplementary or additional power to the hybrid two-wheeled vehicle. 

However, there are also challenges in optimising the design of hybrid two wheeler vehicles. Since the gears provided for transmission of power from IC engine would still be rotating even if the electric motor alone provides the traction force for driving the vehicle, it causes loss of power and also adds to the maintenance and servicing cost. 

"The propulsion system disclosed in the patent application does away with extra motion transmitting parts like gearbox thereby being efficient in terms of net power transmitted to the traction wheel. Moreover, the disclosed propulsion system assumes a more rigid and compact shape as compared to the propulsion systems in the existing art," said the company in its patent specification.

According to reports, the company has been working on hybrid two-wheeler products for more than a decade now. It has showcased a hybrid scooter concept by the name TVS Qube at the AutoExpo 2012 and it is working on a model IQube.