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Levant Power’s energy-producing GenShock suspension has been stuck in limbo for a while, but the company has just announced a deal that could finally put the technology in passenger cars. Automotive component firm ZF has agreed to help develop a GenShock-based active suspension that will both convert road bumps to electricity and smooth out its host vehicle’s ride. The system will theoretically offer the comfort of a luxury sedan, the power efficiency of a hybrid and the nimble handling of a sports car. It might even simplify repairs — since GenShock recovers energy through pumps, it can raise each wheel without needing a jack. ZF doesn’t yet know when we’ll be driving cars with the new suspension, but the technology is reportedly inexpensive enough that buyers won’t require a supercar-level budget.

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Via: Autoblog

Source: ZF Friedrichshafen

We’ve had a few looks at Edison2’s Very Light Car (VLC) project including its gasoline-powered X-Prize winning incarnation, but today’s EV looked a bit different. In an event at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, CEO and founder Oliver Kuttner showed off the latest version of the vehicle, this time unskinned — while referencing similar body-less showcases of the Lamborghini Miura and Volkswagen Beetle — to show off the innovative suspension that contributes greatly to the car’s light weight. The in-wheel suspension units connect to single piece axles that bookend the car’s chassis and feature fewer contact points than traditional car suspension designs. Kuttner claims this technique will also feed back into conventional car bodies, opening up more space and taking weight out of future vehicles. Check after the break for more details about what’s changed and what’s next for Edison2, or dive into the gallery to take a look for yourself.

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Formula 1 car technology has come a long way since it first hit the asphalt banks 62 years ago. It’s been hard to convey the sheer amount of change in a succinct way, but Rufus Blacklock may have nailed it in exactly one minute. Abstract versions of the cars show us the progression from the bullet-shaped cars of the 1950’s through to the low-slung, wing-laden beasts we know today. If the clip is a little too F1-fast, there’s also an infographic that details exactly when certain technology changes came into play, starting with the first wings in 1968 through to modern (and at times controversial) introductions like KERS in 2009. Click past the break for the video, and check out the relevant source link for a quite literal big picture.

Continue reading Visualized: the history of the Formula 1 car in 60 seconds (video)

Visualized: the history of the Formula 1 car in 60 seconds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Autoblog  |  Rufus Blacklock (video), (infographic)  | Email this | Comments