Road Bumps Boost Batteries

Bumps in the road can be annoying, but they may also be a source of energy for electric vehicles (EVs). BMW is building a new suspension system designed to harness the energy of a bump and convert it to usable electricity for an EV battery. One of the big challenges in making EVs efficient is to boost their range. Improving battery technology is the most important way to do this, but the new BMW suspension is also a small step in that direction. The innovative design captures energy generated by the wheel as it moves in reaction to driving over a bump. The pent-up energy is then sent to a generator that uses it to charge the battery.