[JoeReal]

DID GM even considered this technology? Hydraulics seemed to be three times more efficient at the wheels than the electric regenerative approach to brake energy recovery.

I've read about this very promising Brake Energy Recovery System based on Hydraulics, from year 2000, IIRC. Roughly about 50% of the car's energy is spent in stopping during city driving or stop and go traffic, and a lot of it can be captured back using hydraulics.

There are many patents about such technology and it is very promising. Lately, I've come across the 2007 slide presentations of the Michigan Clean Fleet Conference:

http://www.nextenergy.org/cm/attach... Hydraulic Hybrid Tech_MichCleanFleetConf.pdf

And they compared this between the electric regenerative brake energy recovery system.

Hydraulics Brake Energy Recovery System: 61% brake energy returned to wheels
Regenerative Electric Brake energy Recovery System: Only 17% brake energy returned to wheels.
From: Michigan Clean Fleet Conference, PPT slide #11
http://www.nextenergy.org/cm/attach... Hydraulic Hybrid Tech_MichCleanFleetConf.pdf


Some Patent Publications about Hydraulic Brake Energy Recovery System
http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?IA=WO2006058085&wo=2006058085&DISPLAY=CLAIMS
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2006/0108860.html
http://www.nextenergy.org/cm/attach... Hydraulic Hybrid Tech_MichCleanFleetConf.pdf

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

Here is another thread on that topic:

Link

In other news, I finally succeeded in doing a search on this site, and it worked. I must savor these small achievements.

 

[JoeReal]

I may have missed that one,

I use Firefox, and if I click on the Search drop down, nothing happens,
Is there something wrong with my browser? I use the latest one, and will be upgrading to download version 3 tomorrow.

Anyway, have you looked at the fantastic presentation of the 2007 Michigan Clean Fleet Conference? It was not mentioned in the other thread, and also the summary of their efficiencies.

It might be in those google links, but could be way down.