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
Here are some easy recipes for making your own hand sanitizer
By now you must surely be aware that washing your hands clean is necessary to keep you and others protected during the pandemic. You’ve ...
Read MoreThe case for shifting to a four-day workweek for post-pandemic life
At The Optimist Daily, we’re putting a lot of focus on what the world can do after the pandemic to create a healthier, more ...
Read MoreSo your compost has mold? What it means and what to do about it
So you’ve set up a functioning compost system in your backyard. First things first, congratulations! But how do you know if your compost is ...
Read MoreMapping out the Milky Way’s snacks gives clues into dark matter
In our galaxy’s galactic halo, there are 12 streams of stars orbiting. These burning balls of gas are actually being torn apart and their ...
Read More
