Since 1993, Rosen Motors in the USA has been developing a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which incorporates flywheel technology, which has hitherto been difficult to implement. In this HEV, the flywheel is a spinning cylinder made of high-strength carbon-fibre composite that can store and generate energy. There is a gas turbine, and both flywheel and turbine have electric generators attached, so that the HEV has two sources of power which are better than one internal combustion engine. The flywheel has the advantage of being more efficient than batteries. The gas turbine runs on unleaded petrol so that the car can refuel at existing petrol stations. Emissions of pollutants are very low when catalytic combustion is used. On 5 January 1997, the HEV was given the first successful test drive of a turbine-flywheel-powered car. An improved version of the powertrain is now being developed, including a better flywheel, turbogenerator (turbine + generator), and other components. The next prototype will be a converted luxury sports car with the hybrid powertrain to demonstrate the high acceleration, fuel economy, and low emissions that are possible. For the covering abstract, see IRRD 896880.
Abstract