The E-Charger Hybrid System, an Electric Supercharger?

The world of hybrid technology has made massive leaps over the past decade or so. Once a mere afterthought in the actual production arena, there are thousands of hybrid vehicles sold in the US each year, and with a huge push for everybody to be “greener”, those numbers are only going to continue to climb.

As technology has advanced, some companies have designed bolt-on hybrid system that allow the environmentally conscious among the gearhead community to install a hybrid system that not only increases fuel economy but also boosts torque and horsepower! The E-Charger Hybrid system doesn’t work like a typical supercharger that requires power from the crankshaft to spin up and pump air into the engine. Instead, the electric motor is bolted on and actually applies force to the crankshaft, helping the engine spin more easily. The system adds up to 150 ft/lbs or torque with zero parasitic loss, though there are about 200 pounds of batteries used to power the electric motor. Additionally the system provides a big bump in fuel economy, and uses regenerative braking to charge the batteries once their initial charge has been depleted.

This is definitely an innovative design that we expect to see on more and more builds with the multiple benefits of increased power and fuel economy with the only drawback being a little added weight for the batteries.