A hybrid motor that made its debut on the F1 circuit will be used in London’s public buses to increase fuel efficiency. The technology called Gyrodrive is a high tech flywheel (a mechanism that stores energy as momentum) and harnesses power that is usually lost as heat. The way Gyrodrive works, is when the brakes are applied to a vehicle a traction motor that is attached to the axle engages and is used to slow the vehicle. The traction motor turns a carbon fiber flywheel that is enclosed in a vacuum. Then when the vehicle sets off it taps the energy from the flywheel to bring it up to speed before the motor kicks in. The Gyrodrive can spin at 36,000 RPMs and can send up to 120 kilowatts of energy back to the engine, which should boost gas mileage by 20%.
Marriage of F1 technology and public transit make buses more efficient
More of Today's Solutions
The Great Bubble Barrier: bubble curtains are intercepting 86 percent of rive...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Rivers are how plastic gets to the ocean. Stop it there, and you stop it for good. The ...
Read MoreIndia connects 124 million rural homes to tap water
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Six years ago, fewer than one in six rural homes in India had a tap water connection. As ...
Read MoreThe biodegradable, self-cleaning fabric made from living caterpillar fungus
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The sustainable fashion industry has spent years trying to reduce harm: less water, fewer synthetic chemicals, more recycled ...
Read More7 plants with super air-purifying powers
Houseplants are all great natural indoor air purifiers, but some are especially effective for improving indoor air quality. Here are seven houseplant varieties that ...
Read More
