FLYWHEELS IN HYBRID VEHICLES

In 1993, one of the authors (Rosen) along with his brother, Benjamin, founded Rosen Motors with the goal of producing a new type of powertrain for cars that would not only address concerns about pollution and fuel efficiency but would also be something that consumers would actually want to own. Over the past four years, Rosen Motors has been developing a hybrid vehicle that incorporates a rather unusual technology -- the flywheel. Although the concept of a flywheel is quite simple, the implementation has been difficult. The flywheel in the powertrain consists of a spinning cylinder made of a high-strength, carbon-fiber composite that can both store and generate energy. This hybrid uses a flywheel and a gas-turbine engine that is akin to a miniature jet engine.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciam.com/1097issue/1097rosen.html
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00368733
• Corporate Authors:

  Scientific American Incorporated

  415 Madison Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10017
• Authors:
  • Rosen, H A
  • Castleman, D R
• Publication Date: 1997-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 75-77
• Serial:
  • Scientific American
  • Volume: 277
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Scientific American Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0036-8733

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flywheels; Fuel conservation; Gas turbines; Hybrid vehicles; Power trains; Turbine engines
• Old TRIS Terms: Flywheel-powered vehicles
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00741265
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 22 1997 12:00AM