The hybrid, which has been developed by a group of British engineers, has been presented earlier this week at the Low Carbon Vehicle event at Millbrook. It uses components supplied by British companies like Flybrid Systems, Torotrak, Xtrac and Prodrive, with Ricardo also contributing to the development. The system, which is an alternative to battery hybrids for storing energy recovered from braking is mounted into the rear axle of a Jaguar XF.
The development uses the FHSPV name (Flywheel Hybrid System for Premium Vehicles) and has received funding (2.2 million pounds) from the government’s Technology Strategy Board.
The flywheel is driven via a CVT gearbox and can reach 60,000 rpm, storing a peak of 80 hp. This peak power can only be delivered for a few seconds, at any moment.
Jaguar engineers are currently testing it as a stop-start city application: it recovers energy wasted during the braking process and uses this to start the car again.
The British carmaker also said that the system offers weight and cost advantages. The “flybrid” tips the scales at 65 kg, around 50 percent of the weight of an equivalent hybrid, while it costs significantly less and has a smaller volume than the latter.
The system is still in the prototype phase, with the production being uncertain.
Google News