Photo: Audi
Boy, when Audi said the new 48-volt electric system was going to open up new possibilities, they weren't kidding. The German automaker has just revealed plans for a cutting-edge system that can make electricity from the kinetic energy of the suspension.
We've heard of this kind of technology before, but it's amazing to see a mainstream automaker already producing a version for production. We've gotten so used to brake energy recuperation and exhaust gas recirculation that we forgot there are more was to save fuel.
Regular suspension dampers dissipate the force of hitting a pothole or a speed bump as heat, so it's energy that never gets used.
Audi's rather stupidly named eROT system replaces the vertical shocks with horizontal motors. The power goes there through a lever arm and a set of gears. From there, things become simple, as the motor can convert this movement into electricity for the 48-volt battery to store.
Audi says this configuration can produce between 3 and 613 watts of energy, depending on how bad the road is. The average, they say, is about 100 to 150 watts. We're not sure, but we think they mean to say that amount of electricity is produced per kilometer because they say it will result in a reduction of 3 grams of CO2.
There are a few other advantages. For example, the eROT system is configurable, so you could program these e-shocks to have a soft compression followed by a stiff rebound.
What's funny is that the Audi contact person for this story is the spokesman for the A1 and Q2. The eROT system looks like something that could replace only the rear suspension fo a car that would normally have a torsion beam. So could this be a preview for Audi's future Prius fighter?
Regular suspension dampers dissipate the force of hitting a pothole or a speed bump as heat, so it's energy that never gets used.
Audi's rather stupidly named eROT system replaces the vertical shocks with horizontal motors. The power goes there through a lever arm and a set of gears. From there, things become simple, as the motor can convert this movement into electricity for the 48-volt battery to store.
Audi says this configuration can produce between 3 and 613 watts of energy, depending on how bad the road is. The average, they say, is about 100 to 150 watts. We're not sure, but we think they mean to say that amount of electricity is produced per kilometer because they say it will result in a reduction of 3 grams of CO2.
There are a few other advantages. For example, the eROT system is configurable, so you could program these e-shocks to have a soft compression followed by a stiff rebound.
“Every pothole, every bump, every curve induces kinetic energy in the car. Today’s dampers absorb this energy, which is lost in the form of heat. With the new electromechanical damper system in the 48-volt electrical system, we put this energy to use," Dr.-Ing Stefan Knirsch, Audi board member for technical development explains.
For now, the technology is still in its early testing phases. They probably plan to make another version for the 2017 48-volt system which will serve as the primary electricity provider instead of having to go through a converter.What's funny is that the Audi contact person for this story is the spokesman for the A1 and Q2. The eROT system looks like something that could replace only the rear suspension fo a car that would normally have a torsion beam. So could this be a preview for Audi's future Prius fighter?
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