Hybrid supercar goes lightly

McLaren describes the new high-performance hybrid powertrain in the Artura as setting new standards for the supercar sector.

The petrol-electric system delivers acceleration of 0-100kph in three seconds. Verified figures also show the car takes just 21.5 seconds to clock 0-300kph.

Geoff Grose, chief engineer at McLaren, says the powertrain is at the cutting-edge of high-performance-hybrid technology.

“[It is] engineered to offer all of the advantages of internal combustion and electric power in one package and establish new benchmarks for combined performance and efficiency in the supercar class,” he explains. 

“The ‘clean-sheet’ design of the Artura has allowed us to focus on how to make this power accessible to the driver and deliver the levels of engagement expected from a McLaren.”

Engineers at the marque wanted to create a powertrain that allows the supercar to perform across a range of driving experiences, from everyday urban journeys to track-day sessions.

They have created a new, ultra-compact, three-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine that features a 120-degree “hot vee” configuration

The angle of the twin-turbocharged M630 unit helps keep the car compact. A 180-degree angle was considered but dismissed because it would raise the height of the crankshaft and therefore the vehicle’s centre of gravity. 

McLaren says minimising weight was key to the design, with the cylinder head and block using 3D printed cores among its innovations.

Generating 585PS and 585Nm of torque, the all-new V6 engine is 190mm shorter and 220mm narrower than McLaren’s twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 – and 50kg lighter.

A lightweight, compact Axial Flux E-motor enhances the driving experience with torque in-fill, and allows for zero-emissions, electric-only running for up to 30km.

The engine powers the rear wheels via a new eight-speed seamless shift transmission that has also been designed for optimised packaging. 

The gear cluster has been reduced in length by 40mm. This has been helped by use of a nested clutch rather than a parallel unit, and the removal of a reverse gear, with this function achieved instead by the e-motor spinning in the opposite direction. 

Providing the electric-only capability is a 7.4kWh five-module lithium ion energy dense battery pack. 

The hybrid battery sits on a cooling manifold, which is shared with the electric heating, ventilation and air conditioning system also used to control air temperature in the cabin. 

Incorporating technology first developed for the McLaren Speedtail, the batteries are thermally controlled using dielectric oil – a technology also used to keep the e-motor at operating temperatures that deliver the highest level of performance.

An integrated power unit acts as a DC/DC converter for the vehicle’s 12v system, further reducing weight by removing the need for a separate alternator and on-board battery-charger.