SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Going BonKERS In 2010

The KERS on Chip Yates electric race bike will produce 4x the energy it's batteries can store.

The race is on to squeeze performance out of current electric drive technology for the 2010 electric race season. Agni is hinting at streamlining it’s 2009 TTXGP winning X01. Michael Czysz has serious concerns (great discussion in the comments) about the dangers of a rapid move to streamlining but will be ready with a streamlined fairing option for his power packed MotoCzysz Suitcase based TT Zero entry. The strategy of streamlining is to get as much speed as possible on the 38 mile IOM circuit with the limited energy today’s lithium based batteries can store. But this is not the only way to improve lap times.

Chip Yates and the SWIGZ.com Pro Racing crew are planning to race only the 25 mile short circuits of ePower and TTXGP series in 2010. Streamlining will not help SWIGZ electric superbike as much on the tighter, lower speed tracks so their quest for 600cc ICE lap times will come from the implementation of “regenerative braking”, also known as “Kinetic Energy Recovery System” or KERS. KERS works by turning the electric motor into a generator that returns power to the batteries when a rider hits the brakes. Most electric motorcycle manufacturers feel the effects of KERS on the range of an electric motorcycle is minimal and not worth the weight and complexity. Most of the braking force on a motorcycle comes from the front wheel. This is a problem since the electric motor is attached to the back wheel. Also, the logic that controls how much braking force is applied versus electric motor (generator) drag is also complicated and is believed to be the cause of the recent Toyota Prius braking issues.

Chip explains in a recent Road Racing World article that the KERS solution his team of MIT wiz kids developed is capable or recovering 4 times more energy that current battery technology can absorb. In other words, the maximum charge rate (which is equal to the discharge rate) is not fast enough to store all the energy the SWIGZ designed KERS is generating. This does not necessarily mean Chip’s team has to let that energy go to waste. I assume they could integrate a capacitor into the system or another battery technology capable of absorbing the energy rapidly. However, Chip did not expand on what would be done with the extra energy generated.

Chip also did not explain how his KERS is generating all the energy in the first place. I am guessing he may have a generator in the hub of the front wheel or even a two wheel drive bike. It sounds like we will have to wait until race day to find out unless Yates decides to spill the beans early. If anyone has any guesses on how he might engineer his KERS to be so productive please leave a comment on this post.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Road Racing World magazine for more great information on the SWIGZ.com Pro Racing Electric Superbike. Chip Yates wrote the article and will continue the series in upcoming issues. You can get a free trial copy on the RRW website.