A KINETIC ALTERNATIVE TO THE BATTERY: Exploring a driveline which stores energy in a flywheel and not a battery

摘要

Every major car manufacturer now features at least one hybrid model in its range. The idea is simple. Internal combustion engines are not particularly efficient - for a heavy diesel engine, around 50 per cent of the energy consumed is actually used to propel the vehicle. That's good by internal combustion engine standards: smaller diesels might reach around the 40s per cent mark in overall efficiency, while petrol engines are even less efficient. The rest of the energy is lost in heat, overcoming friction in the engine and driveline, as well as overcoming air resistance.