Jaguar influences China’s first supercar

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(April 17, 2016) Techrules is a new Beijing-based automotive research and development company that claims it is looking into potential locations to establish a European base capable of taking its TREV (Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle) technology to production. To pique interest, the hybrid system was wrapped in supercar packaging, and tidbits like a peak operating p
ower of 1,030 horsepower, 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds, a restricted top speed of 217.5 mph, a range of more than 1,242 miles, and a plug-in fuel economy of up to 1,569 mpg were bandied about.

At the heart of the matter is hybrid powertrain using micro-turbine generators to charge the battery pack. Power from the batteries alone is used to drive electric motors.

Whether these are in-wheel motors or axle motors isn’t quite clear from Techrules’ PR release. (“The battery powers the motors that drive the wheels.”) This leaves room for changes as the project progresses, though the thought of in-wheel power is seductive. Then again, there are to be two versions of China’s first supercar, the AT96 and GT96, so it could be both.

Techrules TREV supercar concept

Also mentioned are the “newly developed battery management technologies [that] enable superior charging efficiency. The high efficiency of the TREV range extender results in a requirement for fewer batteries, saving weight and space.”

By now China’s first supercar concept might sound familiar, despite all of the bluster about this being a patent-protected hybrid technology. That’s because Jaguar showed its own turbine-powered hybrid, the C-X75, at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. It was powered by a 15 kWh battery pack recharged on the fly by two diesel-powered Blazon Jets micro-turbines located amidships. With a 194-hp electric motor at each wheel, the C-X75 produced a healthy 776 horsepower and had torque-vectoring all-wheel drive. Torque output was estimated at 1,180 lb.-ft., and each electric motor weighed 110 lb.; a problem in terms of unsprung weight. It’s all-electric range was 68 miles, and the C-X75 had an estimated range of 559 miles in full-hybrid mode.


2010 Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept

One year later, Jaguar announced plans to produce the C-X75 as a $1.2 million plug-in hybrid supercar developed in conjunction with Williams F1. Only the Williams-developed version ditched the turbines for a turbocharged and supercharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 502 hp at 10,000 rpm, and mated to a seven-speed automated manual (not dual clutch) transmission with less than 200 millisecond shift times.

Total powertrain output was rated at 850 hp and 738 lb.-ft. of torque, with the electric motors supplying 390 hp, and the battery pack capable of delivering more than 300 kW over the full state of charge.

Prototypes were capable of sprinting from 0-100 mph in less than six seconds, and the first prototype exceeded 200 mph in testing. Theoretically, the car had a top speed of 220 mph, and its active aerodynamics — in unison with underbody tunnels and diffuser — gave it 440 lb. of downforce at 200 mph. However, its pure electric driving range fell to 37 miles, 31 less than expected from the concept, and CO2 emissions rose slightly. Still, all-in-all it was an amazing vehicle, and could have beaten Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren to production.


Prootype of Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar cancelled the C-X75 project in 2012 claiming it was the wrong time to launch a $1.13-$1.41 million supercar given the ongoing global economic crisis. But was that the real story?

Certainly, the global economy wasn’t rocky enough to dissuade Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren. The 918 Spyder, La Ferrari and P1 sold out to customers eager to have the latest and greatest tech. Unlike those automakers, however, Jaguar had a number of more prosaic models on which to spend the funds that would have had to been dedicated to such a low-volume vehicle. More likely, the change in F1 hybrid powertrain rules that replaced the planned 1.6-liter fours with similar sized V6s meant Jaguar could not develop the powertrain into a suitable Formula One powerplant. Then again, and perhaps more importantly, Jaguar had been burnt before when it launched a supercar significantly different from the concept model.

Buyers who had plunked down deposits for the XJ220 were disappointed to find that the production version was not powered by a quad-cam V12 driving all four wheels. Instead, a 3.5-liter Rover-based turbocharged 24-valve V6 — like the one used in the XLR-10 and XJR-11 race cars — replaced the massive 12-cylinder, and allowed a significant reduction in both the size and weight of the car.

In addition, the cumbersome all-wheel drive system was jettisoned, and the rear wheels were driven through a five-speed manual transmission. Despite its 212 mph top speed and ability to produce 3,000 lb. of downforce at 200 mph, many buyers sought to get out of their contracts. When introduced  at the 1988 British International Motor Show, the market for supercars was growing, but by the time the XJ220 reached production in 1992, the world economy was contracting.

A number of those who had put down deposits of £50,000 wanted their money back, and claimed the change in specification made the contract null and void. Unfortunately for them, the judge did not agree. Perhaps Jaguar didn’t want to go through the same process — and all the bad press — again.

Whatever the case, the Techrules supercar’s hybrid system seems very similar to that of the C-X75 concept, though with more impressive numbers attached to it. The firm claims a development prototype began testing in February at the Silverstone race track — which, ironically, Jaguar is attempting to buy — though there are many steps to take and much work to be done before a production-ready power unit is developed.

And while it will be interesting to see the results of the performance testing it says will be carried out at the Nurburgring this year, and what effect it will have own the design of the car, you have to wonder if they will come to the same conclusion as Jaguar and Williams F1 — micro-turbines are not the way forward.

The Virtual Driver