Torotrak, one of the biggest manufacturers of transmission systems, will be supplying the variable drive technology and Flybrid Systems flywheel technology needed by the Swedish to make their technology a reality.
As we already told you, the new flywheel KERS will be fitted to the rear axle of the car, spinning at up to 60,000 revs per minute during retardation. Once the driver stopped braking and the car starts moving again, the flywheel sends the captured energy to the rear wheels via a specially designed transmission (supplied by Torotrak).
During the entire braking process, the internal combustion engine is shut off. The energy generated by braking is enough to get the car moving again without the use of the regular engine. Paired with a start /stop system and an internal combustion engine, the new KERS can provide an additional 80 horsepower to an engine and at the same time reduce its fuel consumption by 20 percent.
“We sense real momentum in the rapidly growing markets for efficiency-enhancing devices to reduce CO2 emissions. The industry needs cost-effective hybrid solutions and using a Torotrak variable drive transmission in conjunction with a mechanical flywheel has demonstrated the capability for double-digit improvements in fuel economy,” said Torotrak CEO Dick Elsy.
Provided the technology works as advertised, Volo plans on bringing it to the market within a few years. Although revolutionary, the flywheel KERS is not expected to have much of an impact on the final price of the cars that use it.
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