When the grocery store shelves are empty, how are you going to eat? If you can find one nearby, support your local CSA. Not to mention the food is typically better quality because it doesn't have to travel far, and that uses less of the black gold which costs more and more these days.
The mechanical flywheel battery is charged by applying the front brakes. The flywheel is spun up from the brake energy and remains spinning until energy is needed. The flywheel spins at up to 40,000 rpm and this is how the kinetic energy is stored. Apparently, this is very efficient compared to chemical batteries.
When needed, the flywheel battery is slowed electromagnetically and generates up to 120 kW of electricity for the two front electric motors. It can do this for up to 8 seconds before it needs to be charged again.
I really like this kinetic energy battery instead of chemical. I think it would last longer and shouldn't degrade in performance like chemical batteries do over time.
It reminds me of those toy cars that I used to play with as a kid where you have to push it along the floor several times to spin up the internal flywheel and then push the button to send it zooming off like a missile on wheels!
This Porche is so cool, the only question is when can I buy one? I hope this technology spins off from racing to more affordable hybrid cars that people can actually buy.
Let’s help Al Gore get the American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the Senate!
