BMW has patented a new technology that can take the energy created from bumps in the road and turn it into power for electric vehicles.
According to CarBuzz, which found the patent, the system includes a generator mounted to the vehicle’s chassis.
The system also includes a suspension-attached rotating disc that moves a one-way clutch connected to a gear that moves a flywheel attached to the generator.
The generator then sends the kinetic energy harvested from the suspension’s up-and-down motion into the vehicle’s electrical battery.
CarBuzz suggested the feature could eventually show up in a BMW vehicle.
As the report points out, BMW is not the only company looking for ways to turn bumpy roads into usable energy.
A company called Gig Performance is also working on a system that uses a different means of pulling power from a vehicle’s suspension.
