The Ferrari Hy-kers concept will serve as a foundation for the maker's first hybrid supercar.
Ferrari is going green(ish?), the Italian maker reportedly readying a kinetic energy-based hybrid system that will be used in the replacement for its top-line supercar, the Enzo.
The technology will be similar to the gas-electric system the maker’s Formula One team has been experimenting with, while the vehicle itself is expected to bear a strong similarity to the 599 Hy-kers concept car Ferrari brought to the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.
Like the rest of the industry, Ferrari is coming under increasing pressure to clean up its emissions, especially in Europe, where tough new CO2 standards are going into effect. Most of its high-line competitors are exploring their electric options and some, like Mercedes-Benz, are openly embracing the potential advantages of battery power, which can yield enormous torque as soon as a vehicle’s motor starts spinning. Mercedes is currently field testing a battery-powered version of its new SLS supercar, while rival Audi’s eTron would provide an electric alternative to the R8.
At the Geneva show, senior Ferrari officials indicated the Hy-kers was more than just a pie-in-the-sky show car. But Auto Week magazine is now quoting the maker’s CEO Luca di Montezemelo as confirming there will be a battery-electric successor to the Enzo, a limited-edition carbon fiber supercar, of which just 400 were produced between 2002 and 2004.
After unveiling the Hy-ker, last winter, the automaker declared it, “an example of how Ferrari is approaching the development of hybrid technology without losing sight of the performance traits and driving involvement that have always exemplified its cars.”
Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano, the Hy-kers uses a low-mounted battery and motor drive system to improve weight balance and keep the center of gravity as low as possible. The 88-lb motor produces 107 horsepower and 111 lb-ft of torque, and is linked to the show car’s 7-speed gearbox through one of its two clutches.
Hy-kers can run on power from its 3-kilowatt-hour battery alone for short runs around town at relatively low-speeds. And the electric drivetrain provides an additional torque boost when the 6.0-liter V12 kicks in under hard acceleration. That reportedly yields a 0 to 60 time of just 3.5 seconds for the concept vehicle, which reaches 125 mph in 10.5 seconds.
The battery is recharged using a kinetic energy system developed for the Ferrari Formula One program. The vehicle’s brakes and steering system are both electrically operated to reduce fuel consumption.
Hy-kers reportedly gets 25 mpg, about 50% better than the stock 599. It also claims a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions.
Industry sources reflect Montezemolo’s comments, which suggest the Hy-kers will undergo some significant modifications before reaching market as the first production hybrid to bear the logo of the prancing pony.