It looks like KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is the latest automotive fad. We learned last week that Porsche was developing its own system for the 911 to ensure better acceleration and reduce fuel consumption. And now Volvo announced yesterday it would be going the same way with a similar technology.
The Swedish manufacturer recently secured a 6.57 million kronor loan from the Swedish Energy Agency, which will allow it to create a carbon fibre flywheel designed to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%.
Vice president of powertrain engineering Derek Crabb says with such an innovation, four-cylinder engines will offer the same performance as six-cylinder engines without sipping more fuel.
The flywheel is located on the rear axle. During deceleration, it can spin at up to 60,000 rpm. When the car accelerates again, the flywheel’s rotation is sent to the rear wheels by way of a specially designed transmission.
When braking, the engine shuts down for a short period of time and the flywheel takes over, reducing fuel consumption.
Drivers who are regularly stuck in heavy traffic or in start/stop situations will benefit enormously from this technology. The system can also provide a temporary boost of up to 80 hp, effectively reducing acceleration times from 0 to 100 km/h.
Crabb says Volvo isn’t the first automaker to test the technology, “but nobody else has applied it to the rear axle of a car fitted with a combustion engine driving the front wheels”.
He also noted that if the tests are conclusive, the KERS system could be featured in Volvo products within a few years.
The Swedish manufacturer recently secured a 6.57 million kronor loan from the Swedish Energy Agency, which will allow it to create a carbon fibre flywheel designed to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%.
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| Derek Crabb (Photo: Volvo) |
Vice president of powertrain engineering Derek Crabb says with such an innovation, four-cylinder engines will offer the same performance as six-cylinder engines without sipping more fuel.
The flywheel is located on the rear axle. During deceleration, it can spin at up to 60,000 rpm. When the car accelerates again, the flywheel’s rotation is sent to the rear wheels by way of a specially designed transmission.
When braking, the engine shuts down for a short period of time and the flywheel takes over, reducing fuel consumption.
Drivers who are regularly stuck in heavy traffic or in start/stop situations will benefit enormously from this technology. The system can also provide a temporary boost of up to 80 hp, effectively reducing acceleration times from 0 to 100 km/h.
Crabb says Volvo isn’t the first automaker to test the technology, “but nobody else has applied it to the rear axle of a car fitted with a combustion engine driving the front wheels”.
He also noted that if the tests are conclusive, the KERS system could be featured in Volvo products within a few years.
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