But the part where the article says that the eTorque system can help the truck engine stay off longer at stop lights is accurate, right? And it does get the truck moving at least a little bit at start. Are those then the only benefits to eTorque?
The eTorque system consists of only a few components:
-The MGU (Motor Generator Unit) that (on a Hemi) sits where the alternator would be on the engine accessory drive circuit (serpentine belt).
-The 48V battery pack, used for storing electrical energy, located behind the rear seatback on Crew Cab models (no idea if eTorque is available on Quad Cab trucks)
-Some fans and computers used to keep the said battery pack charged and cooled.
-Literally that's it. The truck still has a normal 12v battery in the engine bay, a regular starter used for "cold" starts when the ignition is off. It's literally the same truck minus the alternator.
It operates like this:
1) Start / Stop - during a start / stop even, while in Drive only, the truck will shut down the engine, and the MGU will restart it when you lift your foot off the brake
2) Initial Roll (E-Roll Assist) - the MGU will spin the engine, and therefore the transmission and wheels while starting the motor from a start / stop even, helping to push the truck forward and make the handoff between the MGU and the Hemi seamless.
3) Regenerative Braking - nothing more than the MGU adding drag to the engine in order to generate electricity and storing it in the 48v battery pack. It does not affect the regular vehicle service brakes at all. It does ad a "compression braking" effect to the driving experience of the truck, causing it not to "coast" as far or as long. It's just acting like a really big alternator.
4) Engine Electrical Load Reduction - Using that stored electrical energy, the MGU can be "shut off" while at cruising speeds and therefore the engine will have no extra load from it acting like an alternator. In this mode, the 48v battery pack charges the 12v battery and will also directly supply power for all of the running accessories (headlights, music, Uconnect, etc). This is where the 2mpg on the highway is supposed to come in.
5) Engine Speed Matching Upshifts - the MGU can be used to scrub engine speed (further charging the 48v battery) during upshifts so that the transmission doesn't have to take the burden.
6) Engine Speed Matching Downshifts - the MGU can provide assistance to help rev the engine during downshifts in order to help seamlessly match engine speed to ground speed.
To me, there's a seventh mode too, which is when the 48v battery is already full, but the driving conditions are primed for regenerative braking or charging. In this "mode", the 48v battery will run the cooling fans at the radiator to "over-cool" the engine, and therefore allowing the stop / start cycles to last longer at a light or stop sign.