In addition to recently showing off its brand new F12 Berlinetta in Beijing, Ferrari brought along the latest version of its HY-KERS hybrid system. The system has been tweaked for a mid-rear engine layout.
A road version of Ferrari's F1 technology, the HY-KERS system was originally demonstrated on the 2010 599 HY-KERS lab vehicle. At the time, it was worked into the 599 GTB Fiorano's front-engined layout.
It's believed that Ferrari will debut the commercial version of the hybrid system on the upcoming Enzo successor, codenamed the F70. That model should surface sometime early next year, and the updated HY-KERS system shows how Ferrari will power the new flagship.
Like the Enzo before it, the F70 will carry its V-12 engine amidships, so Ferrari has reworked the HY-KERS within that framework. The new HY-KERS connects a V-12 engine and electric motor to a dual-clutch transmission. A second, non-powertrain electric motor is used for powering auxiliary electronics like power steering and air conditioning. Both motors receive power from a battery pack that can be mounted in a variety of ways, to be determined by the car's final layout.
Ferrari says that the hybrid system carries the dual function of increasing power and decreasing emissions. It hasn't provided any output numbers, but rumors have it that the system will add up to 120 extra horses over the V-12's ~ 800 hp. When accelerating, the main electric motor delivers extra power through the dual-clutch gearbox. When the driver hits the brakes, the motor turns into a generator, transforming brake energy into electricity to recharge the batteries.
Ferrari states that the HY-KERS system has officially stepped beyond the experimental stage and development will start within the coming months. It hasn't announced a specific debut date for the F70, but has indicated that January's North American International Auto Show and March's Geneva Motor Show are possibilities.
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