GKN technology helps power Le Mans winner to victory

TECHNOLOGY from Midlands engineering group GKN has helped power the winner of the world-famous Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.

Subsidiary GKN Hybrid Power had supplied its innovative electric flywheel to the Audi R18 e-tron quattro which was first across the finish line to secure its third consecutive win at the circuit.

GKN Hybrid Power had worked closely with Audi engineers to fully integrate its unique electric flywheel into the car.

The Redditch-based group said the key features and benefits of the innovative system were well suited to endurance racing.

“The high efficiency energy transfer to and from the e-storage and an insusceptibility to performance or life degradation over a wide range of operating temperatures made GKN Hybrid Power’s flywheel the ideal technology for Audi’s project. The system provides 170kW of power and has a top rotor speed of approximately 40,000rpm.,” it said.

Gordon Day,  General Manager, GKN Hybrid Power, said the team was delighted to have contributed to the race victory and would now work to make the technology even more efficient.

The technology has real-world benefits as well and is already being used in some current road vehicles. The system  is already achieving fuel efficiency savings of over 20% on prototype buses being trialled in London.

Nigel Stein, chief executive GKN, said: “This is a great result for Audi and GKN is incredibly proud to have worked on this exciting technology, which is also being used on public transport, initially in city buses, to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in cities.”

GKN acquired the Hybrid Power division from Williams Grand Prix Engineering – part of the famous Williams Formula 1 racing team – earlier this year in a deal worth £8m.