Audi Touts Electromechanical Damping System

Audi AG is developing a prototype damping system it says will improve suspension performance and can convert linear motion into stored electricity.

Dubbed “eROT,” the technology replaces conventional upright hydraulic dampers with horizontally arranged electromechanical rotary units on the rear axle. Audi says the actively controlled system isolates the suspension’s compression and rebound strokes to improve ride quality.

Lever arms absorb the kinetic motion of the wheels and transmit it through a series of gears to an electric motor, which converts it into electricity that can be stored in a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. With conventional suspensions, this energy is lost in the form of heat.

During initial testing, Audi says, the system generated as much as 613 watts of power on bumpy roads. The stored energy can be used to help power electrical accessories or an electric motor in a mild-hybrid architecture.