Swedish automaker, Volvo, is aiming to bring F1 flywheel technology to the road.
Volvo's KERS technology Image: Volvo |
Helped by a Kr6.5m ($1m) grant from the Swedish government, the company is developing a Kintetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) for road cars, similar to that used in the current crop of F1 racing cars.
The flywheel KERS is fitted to the vehicle's rear axle. When the vehicle brakes, the resulting kintetic energy causes the flywheel to spin at up to 60,000 revs/minute. When the car sets off again, the energy created by the flywheel is transferred to the rear wheels, helping acceleration or power it the car more efficiently at cruising speed.
In F1, the KERS system is used to provide an added boost for overtaking, for road cars the benefit will be much more related to fuel economy. Volvo estimates that the KERS system will allow the engine to be automatically turned off for around half the journey time, particulary during stop-start, urban type journies which involve regular braking and keeps the flywheel spinning.
The KERS technology has only become viable thanks to carbon fibre technology, with the Volvo flywheel weighing about 6kg with a diameter of 20cm and spins in a vacuum container to reduce friction.
Volvo expects KERS to be available on standard road cars "within a few years".