Scientists invent shocks that create electricity

Scientists from Tufts University have invented an automotive shock absorber that uses the heat and motion generated by the regular movement of the car to generate electricity that can then be routed back into the car’s battery and used for other electrical needs.

Called the Power-Generating Shock Absorber (PGSA), actually an electromagnetic linear generator, it uses “magnet arrays, high magnetic permeability spaces, coil winding arrays,” and a linear electric motor to capture the energy of its motion and use it to charge the batteries.

The movement of a standard shock absorber creates heat, which is neutralized by the oil in the shock. In a PGSA, a linear electric motor converts the magnetic field created by the repetitive motion into electricity. Or, if you like your technology to sound science-y, it “uses an electromagnetic linear generator to convert variable frequency, repetitive intermittent linear displacement motion to useful electrical power.”

The inventors estimate that a typical vehicle can recover up to 70% of the energy absorbed by its shocks. This could be an important advancement for future hybrid or fully electric vehicles.