Frequently Asked Questions:

How big are the gyroscopic processional forces? Gyroscopic forces are proportional to rotational speed and inertia so although our flywheel speed is high our mass is very low and consequently the forces are low. For the Formula One system the maximum force experienced on the track is expected to be less than 130 NM.

Presumably the flywheel will slow down quite quickly if the stored energy is not used? The flywheel will slow down due to friction in the bearings and seals but because it runs in a vacuum the losses are low.

How safe is a high speed flywheel? Flybrid Systems take safety very seriously and have invented a special containment mechanism to help make sure that their system is safe. To demonstrate the safety of the Formula One system a full speed spinning flywheel will be subjected to a crash test similar to that which the nosecone of the car must pass.

The specific storage capacity (kJ/kg) of some batteries is much greater than that of even a high-speed flywheel so surely it will be less effective? Whilst the useable flywheel storage capacity is less than some batteries all of it can be used at full power. The rated capacity of batteries can be misleading as they cannot deliver (or accept) anything like the rated power over the full depth of charge. They also have a very short life if you use all the storage capacity. Storage capacity is useless if you cannot charge it up and during typical vehicle usage the hybrid system is almost always power limited. Just think about how long you spend on the throttle compared to how long you spend on the brakes and you will immediately see that power during energy storage is THE limiting factor.

How environmentally friendly is this technology? Very. The system is made entirely from conventional materials with the only exception being the carbon fibre wrap around the flywheel that holds it together at our very high speed. This makes it easy to produce and to recycle.

When might I be able to buy a road car with this technology? We expect to have a prototype road car running during 2009 but we expect it will take several years to make it to mainstream production. We hope it will be possible to buy one before the new EU emissions rules come into force in 2012. If you are very wealthy please phone us - it could be much sooner!