The SAIM Approach to Range Extender

SAIM has moved away from its single-dimensional role as a mere industrial engine distributor. The hybrid demos presented at EIMA 2024 are a clear testament to this evolution.

The Italian company steered resolutely towards becoming a solutions provider, with the first creation being a hybrid. But they won’t stop here, as Paolo Bassi, Director of Business Unit Industrial, explains to us. Find below the first part of this conversation.

SAIM Believes in Range extender Technology

“We thought a range extender could provide an answer to those niche markets that are sensitive to the need for electrification or hybridization, freeing them from the need for charging infrastructures or the need to replace batteries during the workday. Differently than with the hybrid version, the range extender is intended for full-electric machinery.

Currently, the internal combustion engine is a Kubota Z482 matched to a variable speed electric generator. The system is electronically controlled, which optimizes both the machine’s power output and the charging time by virtue of an external electronic adjuster, fitted by SAIM onto the ICE, whereby the electric machine can adjust the diesel engine speed based on the operator’s demand. 

We have, therefore, an electric unit that tells the engine at which speed it must run in order to optimize the functions; indeed, the adjuster will vary speed, output power and battery charging time based on the machine’s input. 

We focused on the application’s performance, setting the minimum charging target at 80 Amp/hour, that we achieve at 1800 rpm. On average, we are dealing with operating machinery using batteries in the range of 5 to 10 kW and 200-300 Ah. 

Speaking with pairing engines, we were told that the Z482 could be the ideal fit. There are no restrictions, though, on switching to larger engines, e.g a twin cylinder like the Z602, up to the three-cylinder range. It is a modular design project that uses the same control logic, featuring an electronic adjuster governed by the electric unit that will be applied to an engine that is, after all, a mechanical machine.

The electric power output of the variable speed generator is 4 kW; for our own testing purposes we chose a product by Nuova Saccardo Motori. It is available on their standard product list and features an SAE flange, which is non-standard for Saim and for which we created an ad-hoc flange for engine coupling. 

This type of industrial applications does not require special customization. Once the electric variable speed unit was chosen, we searched for an off-the-shelf, standardized engine to contain costs. The range extender has to be very competitive, to be able to stay active in the market.”  

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