Close Menu
Zero2Turbo
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram RSS
    Zero2Turbo
    • Home
    • Contact
    • Videos
      Featured

      BMW M2 CS Grabs Compact Car Nürburgring Record

      By Zero2TurboJuly 3, 2025
      Recent

      BMW M2 CS Grabs Compact Car Nürburgring Record

      July 3, 2025

      Akrapovic Exhaust Now Available For Your New V8 Hybrid Bentley

      July 3, 2025

      1,341 HP (1,000 kW) Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX Previews Next GT 4‑Door Coupé

      June 26, 2025
    • South Africa
    • Zero2Turbo Telegram
    Zero2Turbo
    Home»Zero2Turbo»Electric Turbocharging
    Zero2Turbo

    Electric Turbocharging

    By Zero2TurboMay 13, 2019Updated:June 5, 2019No Comments
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram

    There was a time when a turbocharged vehicle was considered exotic. Turbochargers, which can increase a car’s horsepower up to 60%, were installed only sports and race cars. Today, turbochargers have become a popular in standard passenger cars too. The reasoning in this case is that the car companies can install smaller motors in their cars when a turbocharger is used. This is advantageous because smaller motors get better gas mileage and pollute less. 

    How they work

    All internal combustion engines generate powerful exhaust gases. Turbochargers harvest the energy of these exhaust gases and uses it to drive a small turbine. This turbine, in turn, is used to pressurize an engines incoming air.  If you take a look at a turbocharger, it looks like a small fan with blades at either end.  One end spins via the exhaust gases and the other end blows air into the engine.

    Despite decades of improvements, all turbochargers suffer from something called “turbo-lag.” Turbo-lag is the delay in response that occurs when a turbocharger kicks in.  This can be quite annoying when you need to accelerate quickly, as race cars do. Engineers have improved turbochargers over the years but turbo-lag still is a problem. Bottom line: it’s hard to make a turbocharged engine deliver the immediate response of a naturally aspirated engine.

    A solution

    Instead of driving the turbo with exhaust gases, why not drive it with an electric motor?  An electric motor can respond within 250 milliseconds to a push on the gas pedal, so there really isn’t any turbo lag.  It seems like a perfect solution. The electric motor to drive the turbo will have to be quite powerful and will probably likely need more 48 volts to power it. This is a major issue for engineers because higher voltages will require special alternators, multiple batteries and heavy wiring.

    Is anyone doing it?

    Most of the major automobile manufacturers are either looking at or are making electric turbo technology. The folks at  Winner Auto Group (Tilton, NH) are proud to point out that the Audi SQ7 TDI sedan was one of the first vehicles with an electric turbocharger installed. To drive it, a special 48-volt electrical sub-system installed. The results are impressive: Audi says their sedan SQ7 TDI with a 429-hp 4.0L V-8 diesel can hit 62 MPH in 3.6 seconds. That’s a fast diesel!

    The future of electric turbos

    If the electric turbocharger concept works well, it should proliferate rapidly. The driving public is going to love the fact that there is no turbo-lag.  Electric turbochargers are unlikely to be seen on economy cars anytime soon but we should see it becoming common on larger, luxury sedans.

    Share. Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram
    Previous ArticleMountune and fifteen52 Collaborate To Form Volkswagen Tuning brand m52
    Next Article What Are The Best Used Car Make And Model Choices For Consumers In 2019?

    Related Posts

    Ferrari Says Buy A Classic If You Want A Manual

    July 4, 2025

    Sinister Land Rover Defender Octa Black Revealed

    July 4, 2025

    Ariel Celebrates 25 Years Of The Atom With Extreme 525 HP (391 kW) 4RR

    July 3, 2025

    BMW M2 CS Grabs Compact Car Nürburgring Record

    July 3, 2025

    Akrapovic Exhaust Now Available For Your New V8 Hybrid Bentley

    July 3, 2025

    Updated Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Revealed With 473 HP (353 kW)

    July 3, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube RSS
    Designed by Zero2Turbo.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.