With increasing demand by consumers for better fuel economy, Volvo has strived to produce vehicles with the greatest possible fuel efficiency. Recently, through extensive testing and research, Volvo has confirmed that their new flywheel technology will add additional fuel savings to their already fuel efficiency cars. The new experimental system, known as Flywheel KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), is fitted to the car’s rear axle. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the flywheel spins at approximately 60,000 revs per minute. Once the car begins to accelerate again, the rotation from the flywheel is then transferred to the rear wheel through a specially designed transmission.
Derek Crabb, Vice President Powertrain Engineering at Volvo Car Group, explains that since the flywheel is activated during braking, and the amount of time that the flywheel spins is limited, the most effective time to use the technology would be during heavy stop and go traffic. He goes on to say that the fuel savings generated by the flywheel would be the greatest during heavy traffic, such as in a highly populated urban area.
"The testing of this complete experimental system for kinetic energy recovery was carried out during 2012. The results show that this technology combined with a four-cylinder turbo engine has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent compared with a six-cylinder turbo engine at a comparable performance level," says Crabb.
The flywheel that Volvo used during their experiment was made out of carbon fibre, and weighs about 6 kilograms. In the 1980’s, when Volvo first began to experiment with the technology, the flywheel was made of steel. However, since it was so heavy (and rather large), the idea was labeled as a non viable option. But with new carbon fibre, it makes the flywheel a more desirable idea.
Volvo of Willoughby is excited about the new flywheel technology, and is anxious to see where Volvo engineers will take it.
About Volvo of Willoughby
Located in Willoughby, Ohio, Volvo of Willoughby serves the greater Cleveland area with the best customer service in the industry and the largest selection of quality Volvos around, including the C30 and the S60. For more information about the trained technicians in the service and parts departments or the devoted on-site finance team, please call (866) 994-2370 or visit online at http://www.willoughbyvolvo.com/index.htm. Volvo of Willoughby is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LeikinVolvo and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LeikinVolvo.