Recuperation
Anyone attentive in the high school physics class would know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. Now, it depends on the technology you are using that determines whether the conversion of energy is being tapped for something useful. Sometimes, the end result of an energy conversion is lost in the form of heat or thermal energy.
The Audi Recuperation technology is designed with the single aim of ensuring that there is no such loss of energy in your Audi car. This technology ensures that when you are using the brakes on your car, the thermal energy produced is immediately converted to be recycled for better fuel efficiency. Let us look at how it works.
The Audi Recuperation technology is efficient because it is simple. The energy with which your car is moving is kinetic energy. When you hit the brakes, this kinetic energy is converted into heat, or thermal energy, which usually escapes. What your Audi car does is use an alternator to convert this thermal energy into electrical energy. This is stored in the battery of your Audi car.
As you drive your car on a normal, constant speed, this bottled up energy helps to reduce fuel consumption. Under ideal conditions and consistent driving cycles, the percentage of fuel that you save can be as much as 3%. In other words, the speed of your car is actually helping you save fuel with the help of this very basic, but innovative technology.
You will find the Audi Recuperation technology on models like the Audi A4, Audi A3 1.4 TFSI, A5 Cabriolet and Coupe, as well as the Audi Q5 and Q7, along with Audi A6. This technology is also applicable when you take your foot away from the accelerator pedal. You need not apply the brakes to make use of this energy saving alternator.
As soon as you lose some speed, your Audi car is going to use some more fuel and exhale some more carbon dioxide to get the necessary speed. The recuperation technology kicks in immediately. The vehicle can do with lesser fuel to attain the same speed again. Through this technology, your Audi car is doing its bit to conserve energy not just to make your fuel bills lighter, but also to keep the environment in a better shape.
There are other ways as well in which the Audi Recuperation technology kicks in. The makers of the Audi keep in mind to make better use of the vehicle’s thermal, electrical and mechanical energies. The aerodynamics on your Audi car is streamlined for this purpose. The resistance to the driving experience is minimal; it keeps the fuel consumption in check.
The latest Audi models also have accessories like high efficiency transmission, Valve-lift systems and rolling resistance tyres. The air conditioning in the Audi car is also optimized for less energy consumption. It is expected that Audi cars coming to the market after 2012 will be able to save 20% of fuel consumption through the Audi Recuperation technology.