Fast-charging capacitor in 2014 Mazda 6

[California98Civic]

Sounds pretty cool:

"The 6 is the first car in America to capture energy in a fast-charging capacitor with no rare-earth metals, rather than a slower, bulkier and harder-to-recycle battery. Lift off the gas, and the optional i-Eloop system spins the alternator to charge the capacitor in eight seconds flat. The stored juice — roughly 2,000 watts — then powers the electric system and accessories. E.V. and laptop users, take note: unlike lithium-ion batteries, Mazda’s capacitor is designed to charge and discharge millions of times with no loss of storage capacity."

How much power is this and how long might it power the electrical system and accessories?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/au...ndence.html?hp

[Rokeby]

There's a very complete description of Mazda's i-ELOOP
regenerative braking system here:

hybridCARS

It is supposed to give a 10% MPG increase.
It sounds like it could be a feature on all future Mazda offerings.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

How much power is this and how long might it power the electrical system and accessories?

2000 watt hours is a huge amount of energy! stock starting battery in a Honda Civic is 480 watt hours, the lithium battery pack for my electric motorcycle is 4,800 watt hours, so I suspect that someone didn't get their facts straight.
I suspect that either the alternator is putting out 2000 watts for that few seconds at the 25v that they say the alternator works at it's putting out around 80 amps, but for only 8 seconds that would be 4.5 watt hours, about the energy stored in a pair of AA batteries.

[user removed]

Maybe 2000 watt seconds, 1/3600 of 2000 watt hours.

regards
Mech

[MadisonMPG]

Mazda introduces supercapacitor-type regenerative braking

This link has better information.

[SoobieOut]

I like the idea of stopping the engine at the best starting position then using the spark to help with the engine cranking torque.

[Cobb]

I bet adding a solar panel to the cap will result in some amazing gains.

[RedDevil]

If I read correctly, it is only used to power the electric systems during idle stop. So those don't drain the battery, so that can be kept small.
I fear the system will cost a hell of a lot more though than that heavier battery.

It is no use for a hybrid because they already have that heavier battery to store brake energy to not only power the equipment during idle stop, but also to help accelerate when the stop ends.

Supercapacitors have a very limited capacity compared to batteries.
In the article Mazda claims the capacitor can store 25,000 Joules. The Insight might use up that capacity in 2 or 3 seconds during acceleration.
For effective hybrid use it needs to have at least 5 times the capacity, which I fear will make it too heavy to be practical.

I'd love the properties of a supercapacitor big enough for hybrid use, except the weight.

[Cobb]

Nothing like shorting a fully charged multi farad cap.

[night9]

EPA rated the I-loop equipped mazda 6, 28mpg city 32 combined, 40 highway.
Not to bad of an increase. The 6 without only managed 26 city, 30 combined, 38 highway. 2 mpg across the board. I can't wait to see the diesel's numbers with the I-loop sytem. 48-50mpg highway??? I would imagine its going to best both the cruze diesel and the VW TDI's on the EPA cycle. I just hope it comes with a six speed manual transmission option.