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BMW is researching KERS - a way for cars to recover some of the kinetic energy by dynamic braking, as opposed to dissipating the energy as heat in the brakes.
http://www.f1technical.net/news/8159
The same system may find its way into greener cars.
BMW mulling a "green" supercar?
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/forecastearth/159/bmw-mulling-a-green-supercar.html
http://www.f1technical.net/news/8159
The system could be an small electric motor/generator and flywheel system, which BMW seems to favor or a pneumatic/hydraulic system.To date, the teams have not yet contested a single round of the 2008 season. Nonetheless, the BMW Sauber F1 Team already is working on new technologies for 2009. With the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, KERS, Formula One is to break new ground.
The principle: surplus energy that is created by a Formula One car while driving will no longer go unused. In future, it will be transformed into a propelling force. According to Theissen, this represents a special challenge. "We are very excited by the new energy recovery systems," he admits. "Just imagine: currently they don't even exist in their final specification, but in just 14 months, we are going to use them for racing."
Already, the BMW Sauber F1 Team engineers are making progress when it comes to developing the new systems, says Theissen. "We are working flat out on connecting the combustion engine with an electric motor and an energy store. It's a very exciting phase for a drive system engineer."
The same system may find its way into greener cars.
BMW mulling a "green" supercar?
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/forecastearth/159/bmw-mulling-a-green-supercar.html