Volvo’s KERS system improves performance and cuts fuel use.

Volvo are testing a KERS system from Flybrid Automotive which stores kinetic energy in a flywheel enabling better performance and improved economy.

As car makers continue to get bashed by more and more stringent CO2 targets from governments around the world, cleverer solutions are called for to squeeze the best performance and economy balance possible from their products. And Volvo’s new Flywheel KERS system does look promising.

Volvo are currently running UK tests of a KERS flywheel system developed by Flybrid Automotive, which takes kinetic energy generated under braking and stores it in a flywheel fitted to the back axle.

When the car moves off, the kinetic energy stored in the flywheel is either used to reduce the load on the engine – which drives the front wheels – or offers additional power, and four-wheel drive as the flywheel powers the back wheels, for extra performance.

Volvo have fitted the KERS system to an S60 with the 254bhp T5 engine, which manages to get to 62mph 1.5 seconds quicker with the KERS system fitted thanks to the extra 80bhp from the flywheel.

But the times you want to get to 62mph at full chat are limited, so the biggest bonus – most of the time – is that in city traffic the KERS system could power the Volvo for up to 50 per cent of the time and reduce overall fuel consumption by around 25 per cent.

All this clever stuff is part of Volvo’s Drive-E programme designed to offer good performance and great economy and has been tested for four years in a programme involving Volvo, the Swedish government and Flybrid Automotive.

Volvo say the KERS Flyweel is lightweight, financially viable and efficient, and could be coming to production Volvos in the next few years.