Bosch has developed new hybrid systems that meet the regulations approved by the International Motor Sports Association (Imsa), the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The new Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) vehicles made their successful debut at the 61st edition of the “Rolex 24 At Daytona” (USA), the 24 Hours of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
New Bosch system with energy recovery
The German giant is officially responsible for system engineering for the hybrid system. Furthermore, Bosch is the exclusive supplier of the electric motor (MGU), the inverter (MCU) and the hybrid control unit (HCU), as well as the electric braking system (EBS), which is also able to recover energy. The hybrid system is flexible and can be combined with different types of vehicles and engines, maintaining high performance. While driving, it delivers an output of 50 kW which increases to 200 kW in recovery mode. The Daytona race was extremely important to verify the position in real racing conditions. Overall, the Bosch technicians were very satisfied with the first debut of the new technology, which immediately proved itself worthy of the 24-hour endurance test in one of the most important races of the season. The electric braking system (EBS) from Bosch Motorsport also withstood the heavy loads of the first endurance race. This solution uses brake-by-wire technology, in which the electronics transmit the braking signal. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the control unit is activated and the electric motor converts the vehicle’s kinetic energy into electrical energy, charging the battery. When hybrid technology is fully optimised, braking energy that would otherwise be lost to heat is recovered, so the rider can perform at peak performance on less fuel. A solution that probably, after being developed, will also become part of the range for standard electric vehicles. Despite the good results found in the first outing, in the coming weeks, up to the Sebring race, the Bosch technicians will have a lot to do to optimize all the data and knowledge acquired in this first race.
Characteristics and first results
The LMDh system is highly cost-effective thanks to standardized components allowing vehicle manufacturers and teams to compete in attractive conditions at classic endurance races such as Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring and Spa-Francorchamps . And, despite the challenging development times, all nine hybrid models from the manufacturers Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche got underway, eight of which reached the finish line – a great success for the manufacturers and teams, but also for Bosch Motorsport. The Acura ARX-06 no. 60 by Meyer Shank Racing won in the GTP class and was the overall winner of the Rolex 24 in all vehicle classes. Furthermore, the top six finishers of the Rolex 24 At Daytona belonged to the GTP class with the new LMDh hybrid technology.