Autocar - First for car news and reviews

Ferrari has made a patent application for a clever four-wheel drive hybrid system, which could be fitted to both its front- and rear-engined models.

The company’s idea is to reduce the complexity of conventional hybrid systems by separating the roles of the engine and the electric motor.

Under the Ferrari proposals, the electric motor will independently operate one pair of wheels and the engine the other pair.

Ferrari has submitted six different layouts for the patent. In al...Read the full article

Yet another imprecise Autocar "scoop" (like the twin turbo RS5 that turned out ot be a NA V8). Ferrari toyed with this idea 2 years ago but rejected it. Ferrari WILL NOT go down the 4 wheel drive route. Mark my words... I happen to know a few people... 

REALZEUS:

errari toyed with this idea 2 years ago but rejected it.

The patent is dated earlier this year.... And why go the time and expense of patenting the idea in such detail - including six different layouts of the same idea? Anyway, read the story again 'Ferrari has made a patent application for a clever four-wheel drive hybrid system, which could be fitted to both its front- and rear-engined models.' 'Could...'

 will they make it look like an 80's lamborghini 4x4 and stick fiat and alfa badges on it too? maybe make it da size of GL wagon, actually no, twice da size, and a hybrid system like on a Chevy suburban.

HiltonH; you can patent for all sorts of reasons, it could be for PR, it could be simply to make it public so no one else can patent it or a variation thereof; it could be that they want it and will keep the patnet up, it could be for all manner of reasons; patents do not have to mean that you intend to do anything with them, it could even be to throw your competition off the track of what you are actually doing or send a warning shot across them for want you could do; just because they have an application does not mean they intend to do anything with it. 

 

Not sure why so many people are being so negative on this story.  The key is "The patent application says that the hybrid system is designed to improve handling".

Using hybrid cars electric motors for "torque vectoring" (sending extra power to an individual wheel to balance the car or power it out of corners quicker) will be very important when adopting hybrid technology in sports cars. 

It's not just Ferrari. 

Lotus have already patented a hybrid system with electric motors downstream of the differential (i.e. hub motors or motors next to the diff where inboard brakes would be).

McLaren Automotive (the road car company) are currently advertising for a Senior Hybrid Powertrain Engineer.

 

Precisely. It's not just Ferrari, and it looks like people have a rather short memory by ignoring Lexus RX450h Hybrid System which has been around (meaning marketed to normal people like you and me, and not just as lab's pet) since 2005. Lexus RX's hybrid system eliminates the use of Prop-shaft in a 4WD vehicle, since the engine is mounted transversely up front (driving only the front wheels - helped by a small electric motor) and the electric system at the rear only takes care of the rear wheel business. No propshaft, central differential, transfer case and other frictional losses since the workload between front and rear axles are virtually split in the computer brain. That's what I'd call market innovation (back in 2005!) Having read the article, looks like Ferrari system utilises in-wheel motor in both electrically driven wheels while Toyota's system is driven by a single motor unit between the wheels. (Hence the "patent" right over Toyota??)

I love Ferrari and love McLaren they are wonderful organisations and have given us wonderful engineering and design.  I would personally think that Ferrari are going forward with the patent and the technology, all I am saying is that it is not always the case that patents are used in the conventional or traditional sense and it might not be that the patents in this case are being used for that.

I have no idea if they are or are not but I would suggest if they going forward with them then they will have looked up all the patents from others already; I also personally think they are right in terms of four wheel drive etc; I am a big Ferrari and McLaren supporter and thus I think both are totally wonderful.

With patents you need to have something new and novel and even though two things can look initially look similar they can be very different indeed and you must always read the description; it can take years to get patents and usually goes backwards and forwards to the patent agent/patent office over something like 5 to 6 years for an EU patent.

I would doubt there is a sinlge big motor manufacurer that isnt looking at hybrid electric tech at the moment, although a Ferrari isn't a Ferrari without that soundtrack!

 _sorry to take a swipe at you guys (readers and Autocar staff alike) here, but I'm so so non-excited by this site and the boring commentary I've read year after year; that its sort of in anger. Sue me.  So with no further ado.....but could Ferrari utilize this 4WD technology and build....

a spiritual successor to the Integrale!!!??? Could Ferrari go rallying with a part electric hybrid

Hatch to end all hatches.  Lets let Bertone design it, and have Ferrari make it out of Carbon Fiber. ...sounds about right.

 

Got to be fake.  I've worked with plenty of Italian designers, and, from experience, there is far too much information in those drawings to have come from Italy.

 ;-)

 

Wyndham:

With patents you need to have something new and novel and even though two things can look initially look similar they can be very different indeed and you must always read the description; it can take years to get patents and usually goes backwards and forwards to the patent agent/patent office over something like 5 to 6 years for an EU patent.

Most products are released patent pending - nothing would ever get to market if you had to wait 5 years for the patent office to get their backsides in gear.