Electric Turbos: Are They A Gimmick?
Jalopnik • • technology
Key Points:
- Electric turbochargers are effective in boosting power and improving efficiency, differing from traditional turbos by using electricity to spin the turbine instead of relying solely on exhaust gas.
- Hybrid electric turbochargers, like those in the Porsche 911 Turbo S, combine electric motors and exhaust gas to eliminate turbo lag by quickly spinning up the turbine with electricity before switching to conventional operation.
- The Porsche 911 Turbo S with electric turbos achieves impressive performance metrics, including 701 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds, a top speed of 200 mph, and a significantly faster Nürburgring lap time than its predecessor.
- Electric turbos enable energy recuperation by using the electric motors as brakes to capture turbine energy and feed it back into the car’s electrical system, improving overall efficiency and reducing emissions.
- Despite their advantages, electric turbochargers are currently expensive and complex, initially developed for high-cost Formula 1 racing and available only in premium production cars, raising concerns about reliability due to increased system complexity.
