Kinetic energy recovery system
Xtrac and Flybrid are both licensees of Torotrak's technologies, which employ a small and sophisticated ancillary gearbox incorporating a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
[4] Already in 2006, a first KERS system based on supercapacitors has been studied at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) in the framework of the development of the "Formula S2000".
[5] The second was less than a week later when a BMW Sauber mechanic was given an electric shock when he touched Christian Klien's KERS-equipped car during a test at the Jerez circuit.
McLaren Mercedes became the first team to win an F1 GP using a KERS equipped car when Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26, 2009.
At the following race, Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to take pole position with a KERS car, his teammate, Heikki Kovalainen qualifying second.
It was the first time that KERS contributed directly to a race victory, with second placed Giancarlo Fisichella claiming "Actually, I was quicker than Kimi.
Peugeot planned to campaign the car in the 2009 Le Mans Series season, although it was not allowed to score championship points.
[22] At the NAIAS 2011, Porsche unveiled a RSR variant of their Porsche 918 concept car which uses a flywheel-based KERS that sits beside the driver in the passenger compartment and boosts the dual electric motors driving the front wheels and the 565 BHP V8 gasoline engine driving the rear to a combined power output of 767 BHP.
[23] In 2011, Mazda has announced i-ELOOP, a system which uses a variable-voltage alternator to convert kinetic energy to electric power during deceleration.
[24] Bosch and PSA Peugeot Citroën have developed a hybrid system that uses hydraulics as a way to transfer energy to and from a compressed nitrogen tank.
The EPA, working with students from the University of Michigan, developed the hydraulic Regenerative Brake Launch Assist (RBLA)[30] This has also been demonstrated by mounting a flywheel on a bike frame and connecting it with a CVT to the back wheel.
[32] Peugeot was the first manufacturer to unveil a fully functioning LMP1 car in the form of the 908 HY at the 2008 Autosport 1000 km race at Silverstone.
[33] The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans saw Hope Racing enter with a Flybrid Systems mechanical KERS, to be the first car ever to compete at the event with a hybrid.
The system consisted of high speed slipping clutches which transfer torque to and from the vehicle, coupled to a 60,000 rpm flywheel.
[citation needed] Audi and Toyota both developed LMP1 cars with kinetic energy recovery systems for the 2012 and 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans.
A KERS using a carbon fibre flywheel, originally developed for the Williams Formula One racing team, has been modified for retrofitting to existing London double-decker buses.
