Kers stores energy that would normally be lost during braking and converts it into power.
Kers stores energy that would normally be lost during braking and converts it into power that drivers can then use.
The hybrid recaptures energy through a process known as regenerative braking -- where the energy normally lost through braking or coasting goes to power the electric motor.
As if that wasn't enough, the whole thing also promises to be funded entirely by micro-payments from the public (which would also determine its final size), and be completely self-powered, with it relying on a combination of solar power and regenerative braking from the lifts in the towers.
ENGADGET: Digital 'Cloud' could form over London for the 2012 Olympics
The buses work by generating battery power through a regenerative braking system.
However, the electrical version of KERS is not the only nor possibly the best way to capture kinetic energy during braking and use it to boost power.
"The Nissan LEAF has an advantage in that braking force is used to re-power the battery, thereby improving its energy efficiency, " said Castignetti.
ENGADGET: Nissan starts US production of 2013 Leaf, vows faster charging and a lower entry price
The new developments include a switch to slick tyres from the grooved ones of recent years, and the introduction of the kinetic energy recovery system (Kers), which stores energy recovered from the rear axle during braking and converts it to supply a brief power boost.
The GE-designed motors are said to deliver more power to the wheels and provide tighter braking as the machines descend to the coal face.
The new locomotives are designed for easier maintenance, will improve energy efficiency by using a regenerative braking system that will feed energy back into the power grid and will enhance mobility for the people, businesses and economy of the entire Northeast region.
The Eco mode increases regenerative braking, assists in limiting motor output and reduces HVAC power output.
ENGADGET: Nissan starts US production of 2013 Leaf, vows faster charging and a lower entry price
In electric trains, the braking energy is converted into electricity and fed back into the overhead power supply.
The Kers system stores energy that would otherwise be wasted as heat during braking, then reapplies it during acceleration to provide a boost in power, controlled from the cockpit by the driver.
Supercapacitors have a big internal surface-area that allows a large amount of energy to be delivered rapidly and are used in some electric cars to provide a short burst of power for rapid acceleration and in hybrids to recover energy during braking.
应用推荐