Now potholes and suspension will have a good thing going for them; energy recovery.
BMW has unveiled an innovative new suspension system designed for electric vehicles that can harness the energy generated when driving over a pothole. The idea, from the German manufacturer, is to harness the energy from the movement of an electric vehicle’s wheels as it absorbs the impact of a pothole.
It sounds like science fiction, but the idea is a serious one, as BMW has demonstrated by patenting it. The solution harnesses the energy of driving over a pothole, sending it to a generator that converts it into electricity that can be used to charge the battery of the electric vehicle.
Many manufacturers are coming up with innovative ideas to increase the range of electric vehicles while driving, such as Continental’s recently introduced brake caliper that increases range, among other solutions. However, currently, the most popular system is regenerative braking.
And with regard to brake contamination, solutions have also been developed, such as Mann+Hummel. Other innovative ideas also include particulate filters, such as Audi’s ‘Audi Urban Purifier’ solution. As we say, these and other solutions are helping to minimise pollutant emissions from vehicles. Will BMW integrate this new suspension into its future electric cars?
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