Bosch and Magnetti Marelli reveal KERS

As the race to next year is heating up, several manufacturers of electronic devices or hybrid drive solutions are presenting their own KERS system, designed to meet the Formula One regulations for 2009. Two of them, Bosch and Magnetti Marelli have disclosed the details of their respective systems.

Apart from these, Zytek, Williams and Flybrid are also involved in making a KERS device that is to be ready by the beginning of the 2009 season, one that sees many more regulations changes on top of allowing energy recovery under braking.

Towards Racecar Engineering, Magnetti Marelli showed off its system specifically designed for F1: "The system itself is fairly conventional, using a single liquid cooled brushless direct current motor generator unit (MGU), which operates at around 120°C. Also included in the system is an in house designed KERS Control Unit (KCU) with a similar temperature capability. The battery pack is an outsourced part due to the complex chemistry involved in its development."

Bosch on the other hand have taken a totally different approach as the German company aims at various forms of motorsport. Because of its modular design, any client can choose which configuration it would best use. Bosch has taken into account the requirement of Formula One, but is publicly soliciting towards WRC and endurance racing.

As such, Bosch provides KERS systems that can store its energy in various different types of batteries or on in a flywheel system: "The flywheels are basically a simple electric motor, which run at between 140,000 and 160,000rpm."

A full explanation of the Bosch modular KERS system can be found at racecar-engineering.com.