The term "hybrid" used to be synonymous with low performance. But things started to change since hybrid technology has been introduced in Formula One, and now even high performance car makers like BMW //M and Ferrari began to plan hybrid technology for their performance road cars.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid which is due to be publicly unveiled in the Geneva Motor Show next March uses a hybrid system in the kind of the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) used in Formula One in the 2009 season.
The GT3 R Hybrid uses an electrical flywheel power generator instead of batteries for power storage (a flywheel is a device that stores energy mechanically as rotation energy, if you are interested to know more about this old but efficient technology go to this page).
Under braking, the two electric motors mounted on the front axle act like generators and the flywheel is charged with speeds of this latter exeeding 40,000rpm. The system allows the driver to use the stored energy to get extra power from the two electric motors (60KW each) during 6 to 8 seconds. Clever and simple.
After the unveiling at Geneva, the new GT3 R Hybrid race car is planned to take on the Nürburgring 24 hours challenge next May.
2010 Geneva Motor Show Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid from Engined Beasts on Vimeo.
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