Ferrari's Hybrid HY-KERS 'vettura laboratorio' Car

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Ferrari premiered their HY-KERS Hybrid 'vettura laboratorio' experimenatal sports GT (see photo) at last week's Geneva Motor Show media/press day. The Maranello, Italy based manufacturer of luxury sports cars says they have used some of the KERS innovation technology that they developed from the 2009 Formula 1 season and designed it into this experimental concept car.

Ferrari indicates that the HY-KERS Hybrid vettura laboratorio's hybrid drive system reduces the CO2 emissions of the car by 35 percent and they have based the car on their 599 GTB Fiorano model. Ferrari says that the HY-KERS Hybrid research project is designed to prepare the company for compliance with future regulatory emissions standards, and especially for the city (urban) driving cycle.

The Ferrari HY-KERS hybrid drive 'vettura laboratorio' sports GT has a 100 hp electric motor and Ferrari says that powertrain computer algorithms for the car's traction, braking application, and electric power delivery come directly from Ferrari's F1 racing program. Ferrari also displayed the 2010 Ferrari California at the Geneva Motor Show, which derives a 6 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from its 'Stop & Start' engine management system. The 2010 Ferrari California's engine has an almost instantaneous re-start sequence of just 230 milliseconds, and Ferrari says that the engine start-stop sequence is barely noticeable.