According
to MSN Cars, which has published the
first official report on the driving experience of a flywheel hybrid car,
kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) could feature in a Volvo car by 2017.
Driving the Volvo S60
demonstrator car (below) on a test track in Sweden, contributor Sean Carson gives his
appraisal of the vehicle performance and concludes with the following verdict:
‘The Swedish firm’s
flywheel KERS system is not the saviour of the automobile, but it is another
form of technology that will prolong the life of the combustion-engined car.
It’s not too far from being production ready, either – expect to see it on
road-going Volvo’s as early as 2017.’
‘The system should be much
cheaper than a complex battery/electric motor hybrid and lighter, meaning
similar gains with fewer drawbacks. It will always hold the same amount of
energy, too, unlike a battery, which will deteriorate in time.’
‘That it can also be tuned
to focus on extra performance or extra efficiency – unlike an electric hybrid –
means it will make cars more flexible, catering for more of the market. This
can only be a good thing.’
The demonstrator car uses a KERS device developed by Flybrid Automotive Ltd of Silverstone, UK.
To view the complete road
test article please follow this link.
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