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The hybrid drive provides remarkable benefits in terms of driving comfort and fuel (and CO₂) savings, thus determining a reduction of emissions by up to 30% compared with conventional transport solutions.

All of this is obtained with three key features of our hybrid vehicles:

• the regenerative braking system, which allows the electric motor to be used as a generator in override conditions or during braking. The kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy in order to charge the batteries;
• the Start&Stop function, which is activated when the vehicle is stopped and automatically turns off the diesel engine. Ignition takes place only through the electric motor, and the engine is then started automatically depending on vehicle speed and acceleration requests of the driver;
  
• a "downsized" diesel engine which, together with the electric motor, can meet most needs, even when more power or acceleration are needed, such as in uphill routes, thanks to the combination of the diesel engine and the electric motor.

Thanks to these features maximum fuel savings can be reached in urban use, which involves frequent stops and starts. The vehicle moves just as efficiently on the motorway with the flexibility of a normal commercial vehicle.

The Eurocargo hybrid for the transport of goods

The Eurocargo hybrid, available in versions of 7.5 and 12 tonnes of gross vehicle weight, is equipped with a Diesel-electric parallel driveline, which allows for the delivery and collection of goods in urban centres. All this without sacrificing performance at full speed on the motorway, allowing fuel savings of up to 30% in the urban cycle, compared with conventional diesel engine vehicles.

The 7.5 tonne version uses the Euro V Tector 16-valve 4-cylinder engine with a maximum power of 160 HP (118 kW), combined with a 60-HP (44 kW) electric motor/generator, a 6-speed automated transmission and a lithium-ion battery pack with a rated capacity of 1.9 kWh.

The system features include the start-up of the vehicle from standstill in electric-only mode, the automatic start-up of the diesel engine based on the driver's performance requirements, the operation of an additional electric motor during acceleration and uphill driving, the Start&Stop function and a regenerative braking system that operates during deceleration.
 
The load is only 200 kg compared with the diesel engine models. Another innovation of this vehicle is the automatic activation of the engine brake during deceleration, before manual braking with service brakes.

Serial hybrid drive with Diesel-electric propulsion for passenger transport

Iveco has been active in this sector since 1990, with different products and 6,7,4 and 12 meter buses operating for years in various European cities. The Iveco buses equipped with serial hybrid with Diesel-electric propulsion are developed for passenger transport in cities. These vehicles have an electric drive system with an on-board battery charger. These engines share some features with full-electric vehicles in terms of energy savings, such as kinetic energy recovery, and they can provide fuel consumption savings of more than 30% compared with a standard diesel engine, depending on the vehicle's mission.

Operating on the route of a commercial vehicle dedicated to transporting passengers in cities, it is possible to calibrate the engine power in order to reap the most benefits in terms of energy saving.