The eROT system replaces traditional hydraulic dampers with electromechanical units powered by a 48-volt battery mounted to the car’s axle. It relies on electromechanical rotary dampers that replace the hydraulic dampers found in most suspension shock absorbers. The energy is then passed through a DC Converter which drops the voltage down to be passed into the 12-volt primary electrical system.
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The bumpier the road, the more electricity that can be generated. Because the technology eliminates the tall and bulky shock absorbers, it takes up less room than current systems which can mean additional storage space or lower, sleeker cars.
The technology doesn’t harvest enough energy to power a auto on its own, but it could contribute to hybrid motors that help drive future vehicles. “With the new electromechanical damper system in the 48-volt electrical system, we put this energy to use”, Dr. -Ing Stefan Knirsch, Audi board member for technical development explains.
Audi has announced that it is now working on a new electromechanical rotary damper concept, or eROT for short, that can recover otherwise wasted energy.
“Every pothole, every bump, every curve induces kinetic energy in the vehicle”, Audi R&D boss Stefan Knirsch explains. As an actively controlled suspension, it adapts ideally to irregularities in the road surface and the driver’s driving style. Using trick software, it’s able to give a soft compression followed by a stiff rebound.
Audi did not confirm when the regenerative suspension system would make its public debut, but with the company poised to launch a slew of electrified vehicles, don’t be surprised to see it at an auto show in the near future. Audi’s testing revealed an average of about 100 to 150 watts on German roads, ranging from 3 watts on a newly surfaced autobahn to 613 watts on a “rough secondary road”.
A lever arm absorbs the motion of the wheel carrier it is mounted to, and uses the energy from both compression and rebound movements of the suspension drive an electric motor via a series of gears, which converts the forces from kinetic energy to electricity.
The new eROT technology is based on a 48-volt electrical architecture, configured with a lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 0.5 kWh and a peak output of 13kW.
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According to the firm, the initial tests on the eRot system have so far yielded “promising” results, and they say its implementation in future models is ‘certainly plausible’. It will offer potential fuel savings of up to 0.7 liters per 100 kilometers.
