A5 2096 FORMULA 1: THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE FORMULA Muneeb Alvi (mra48@pitt.edu), Zachary Carson (zmc4@pitt.edu) Abstract – The Formula One (F1) racing sport is currently leading the way for automotive engineering. However, most people do not realize that the engineers making the race cars for the F1 directly impact the modern road cars we drive every day. The proof can be found in the traction control systems and aerodynamic designs found on many road cars. These systems that make cars more efficient and safer to drive were originally applied heavily in the F1, and transferred over to the common car due to the F1’s immense popularity and the continuous testing of these technologies on the race track. This paper briefly provides an overview on these past societal and engineering successes from the F1, and focuses on a potential engineering success titled the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which is currently exclusive to the F1. Using the Law of Conservation of Energy, the system attempts to capture energy wasted to heat during the braking of a car, and store that energy in a flywheel. This energy can then be called upon later to temporarily power the car. This system, although exclusively designed for racing, can theoretically be carried over to the everyday road car, allowing more efficiency than the current electrical regenerative brake designs. This paper provides an in-depth look at a flywheel, the main component of the KERS system. The implications, barriers, and the potential for the system’s implementation in modern road cars are also considered. European streets resulted in the most famous and tecnologically advanced racing on the planet. This sport has now become more than just a competition for the drivers. Competition also exists with the constructors of the cars and the motivated engineers who design and build the F1 cars under harsh standards and restrictions to prove the engineering worth of their car designs. From racing through the streets to becoming a part of driving through the streets for the common man, the F1 is now part of most people’s lives by becoming “the testing ground for [advanced automotive] technology” [1]. Due to the F1’s popularity and rigorous testing of automotive designs, technologies that were designed first for F1 use, such as advanced aerodynamics, traction control, and F1 gasoline, have been implemented overtime into the everyday road car. Although current F1 technologies, such as the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, show potential of being transported to the road car, past F1 technologies that are currently fitted to modern road cars must be discussed to communicate a sense of how impactful the F1 has been, before viewing how much more of an influence the F1 can deliver. PAST PROOF TO FUTURE PROMISE The following technologies illustrate how the automotive world has changed through the use and design of F1 technologies. Although some of these technologies did not originate in the F1, they were put through rigorous testing and design advancements in the F1 race cars that eventually led to them entering the universal automotive world and providing safer transportation for race car drivers and daily commuters. Key Words – aerodynamics, automotive engineering, flywheel, formula one, kinetic energy recovery system, shell gasoline IN THE F1 COCKPIT Advanced Aerodynamics The Formula One (F1) has been described by many as the greatest automotive sport in the world, but many have their own reasons as to why. Some declare that it contains the fastest cars to ever race on a track, and while that may be true, most do not understand why the sport’s race cars are the fastest in the world. Others have a more technological view of the F1’s importance and this view requires the exploration of the technology used by the F1 to argue just how influential the F1 has become. When the F1 began just over fifty years ago, it began as gearheads racing cars on the streets of Europe with many accidents abound. Taking notice of these unnecessary accidents with the public, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) was created to formulaize racing with restrictions and standards on a closed course. Hence the F1 or Formula One was born. What began as hotheaded racing fanatics going thorugh Ever since the early 1960s, the F1 has experimented with advanced aerodynamics [2]. Trying to find a way to reduce energy loss due to air resistance, engineers in the F1 radically changed the shapes of their race cars, employing methods such as the ‘now familiar wings [on road cars]’ in order to create downforce and help stabilize the race cars [2]. Engineers also attempted to shape their cars in such ways as to reduce air drag and have air flow around the car, rather than right at it. An impact of such dedicated shaping to reduce air drag, or the force on the car due to air, can be seen in the all-electric road car, the Nissan Leaf. Designed to run at very minimum power requirements, the Leaf must minimize all power and energy loss in trying to push against the air. Thus it was designed with advanced aerodynamics in mind to give the consumer the highest mileage possible of about 100 miles for every charge of the battery [3]. University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering April 14, 2012 1 Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson Traction Control In the F1, the traction control system on a race car constantly checks if the tires are moving faster than the vehicle is passing the road, and if this is true, the engine limits the power to certain wheels to minimize traction loss and maximize grip [4]. Although traction control works in more advanced ways in the F1, modern road car traction control systems are quite sufficient in providing safer transportation during rainy and snowy seasons, or other dangerous conditions. Shell Power One technology that came from the F1 and went literally into road cars is Shell V-Power. By having a history of providing race cars in the F1 with gasoline, Shell has taken the formula that it used to power the mighty cars of the F1 and with limited tinkering, provided customers at most gas stations with Shell V-Power: a gasoline that was designed by Shell during their participation of designing fuels for F1 cars in the past, and is very similar to the same fuel Shell utilized in the F1. The gas is enriched with nitrogen and has higher capabilities than other fuels in reducing friction in the engine of a car, which allows more efficient power output and durability of the engine [5]. This final technology completes a brief overview of past technologies implemented in modern road cars, but before moving onto the possibility of another F1 technology becoming shared with road cars, a summary of the F1’s impact can be made in one powerful example. FIGURE 1 ANALYZING THE FERRARI 458 ITALIA’S AERODYNAMIC FEATURES [6] ENERGY IS CONSERVED The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), currently employed exclusively in the F1, presents much potential to be applied in modern road cars. Taking advantage of the fact that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, but only transferred from one form into another, energy that is lost to heat when an F1 car brakes is instead stored by the KERS system in a storage device, a method resulting from the Law of Conservation of Energy [7]. That energy can later be called upon to power the car for short bursts of time. Obviously this would be a great beneficiary to the road cars of today, who lose most of their energy that emanates from braking. Allowing such a system to enter the automotive world and allowing people to buy cars with the KERS would provide better gas mileage and assist in reducing the use of gasoline all together. The storage devices for the captured energy in the KERS system can range from capacitors to flywheels. Due to the magnitude of information and the emphasis that the F1 cars place on the use of flywheels, other forms of energy storage will not be further discussed. Putting it Together The fairly recent launch of Ferrari’s latest supercar, the Ferrari 458 Italia, has shown the world just how the F1 can go from the race track to the road car. In addition to containing all three discussed technologies, the 458 also contains paddle shifters and a driver focused cockpit. These features were greatly inspired by Ferrari’s experience in the F1 [6]. Figure 1 to the right shows one of these F1 technologies by displaying a crucial feature to the Ferrari, its F1 inspired aerodynamics. Being an epitome of the most efficient and elegant design, the 458 embodies a vision of just what the F1 can provide for modern road cars by making them more advanced and efficient in every way possible from driver orientation to design orientation. The Ferrari 458 Italia summarizes up till now, what the F1 has provided for road cars. Still much is to be provided with the current potential existing in the F1 exclusive technology, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The Sum of the Parts It’s important to take note of how the KERS does not consist of just one unit, but consists of multiple components working together to capture and release energy. Figure 2 that follows displays this fact. 2 Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson FIGURE 2 SETUP OF A KERS SYSTEM IN AN F1 CAR [8] FIGURE 3 FLYWHEEL INTERIOR CUTOUT [9] The above diagram illustrates the process and setup of a KERS system in a standard F1 car. According to the figure, when the charging phase begins, the rear brakes (1) release kinetic energy, or energy resulting from a change in motion (in this case, slowing the motion of the car). Then the electric alternator captures that energy as it is told to do so by the CPU (3). Lastly that energy is transferred and stored in the storage device (2). With the press of a button on the steering wheel (4), the driver can release that energy in the storage unit and obtain approximately 80 additional horsepower for about seven seconds a lap [8]. One component from the diagram is crucial in allowing the system to function, the storage and release device. Even without it, energy can still be transferred but not stored. This storage is the key aspect of why this system is debated for its transfer to a road car, clean and renewable energy that can partially replace gasoline. In the KERS, a flywheel is a mechanical method of storing the energy, and due to its unfamiliar nature, must be described in detail to understand just how the KERS system is able to capture, store, and release energy. Components of a Traditional Flywheel Being a mechanical system, safety comes first. Therefore, most of the components of a flywheel are housed in a steel case [9]. The steel case attempts to “dissipate radial kinetic energy from any rotor debris and ensure safety in the event of mechanical failure” [10]. The container/shaft within the case contains various components including the hollow glass and carbon fiber rotor, a concentric motor/generator (which will now be referred to as the M/G), and certain bearings [9]. Going from the most crucial components to secondary components of the flywheel, the first and most important component is the rotor. The hollow rotor is situated around the center of the shaft. Along with almost every other component, it is aligned along a vertical axis. Located within the hollow rotor is the circular M/G mentioned earlier. There are more components yet to be discussed. Because listing them now has little significance, their discussion will be in accord with their purposes in aiding flywheel function, external to the core M/G and rotor relationship. Rotor and M/G Relationship STORAGE OF ENERGY: THE FLYWHEEL The relationship between the rotor and the M/G is crucial to the process of energy storage. The purpose of the M/G is to obtain transferred energy, and then use that energy to do work on the rotor. This in turn, causes the rotor to spin, usually at rates over 60,000 revolutions/minute (rpm) [11]. The M/G takes the energy given to it, uses it to do work on the rotor and the rotor begins to spin with an almost equivalent amount of kinetic energy. Depending on the amount of energy given to the rotor, the rotor spins at different rates, thus containing kinetic energy due to the rotating motion. The kinetic energy contained within the rotor agrees with the following (1). A flywheel is a storage system that consists mostly of moving or mechanical parts. The interior and exterior of a flywheel body are shown to the right in Figure 3. KE = (1/2)Iω2 . 3 (1) Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson Equation (1) shows that the energy contained within a rotor is dependent on the inertia of the rotor and the angular velocity. Thus the more massive the rotor, the higher the inertia, and the faster the rotor spins, the higher the kinetic energy that will be stored. As a result and in accordance with (1), 75% of the flywheel energy is stored between half the maximum rotor speed and the maximum rotor speed [9]. Because the rotor may reach speeds up to 60,000 r/m, stability and safety must also be added to the system. of the rotor’s rotational speed. The rotor would then stop relatively fast and dissipate its kinetic energy. Thus in order for a flywheel system to store energy for extended periods of time, the friction must be reduced to an absolute minimum. The friction caused by the contact of the glass and carbon fiber rings with each other is consolidated by elastomeric material placed in between the rings [9]. This allows the stress of one ring to be separated from the stress of another right beside it, resulting in less friction and more stability. The friction due to the presence of air is at an absolute minimum as the entire flywheel shaft is vacuumed until the air pressure within is a stable 1x10-7 bar [12]. An air molecule in such an environment would have to travel 30 miles before encountering another [12]. With the aid of carefully placed magnets and an almost frictionless interior, the rotor can spin for much longer periods of time, and thus hold energy for much longer periods of time. This setup, along with carbon and glassbased rings, allows the rotor to reach speeds of over 60,000 rpm with a vibration value of a maximum 0.5 mm in the vertical direction [10] [9]. Thus the maximum amount of storable energy in a flywheel system is determined by the rotor’s mass and angular (rotational) speed, in addition to how much stability it receives. Stability Safety has already been accounted for with the steel case. Stability in a flywheel shaft is aided with by the use of magnets. In the container and on the ends of the shaft of the flywheel are carefully placed emergency magnetic bearings to allow precise mechanical adjustment of rotor speeds [9]. The rotor, which is mounted on a nonmagnetic steel shaft, also contains magnets mounted on its surface [10]. These magnets aid in reducing wobble within the rotor. In addition to the magnets, stability also increases by allowing the rotor to be made of different materials. The concentric rings constituting the rotor are made of glass and carbon fiber. The stronger material, carbon fiber, is placed on the regions of the rotor receiving the most stress and the glass is located on regions receiving the least stress [9] Figure 4 below shows a rotor “wound of glass and carbon fiber rings” [9]. HAND IN HAND Now, a question arises as to how the flywheel interacts with the F1 car to obtain and store the energy. As the M/G in the hollow rotor provides the rotor with energy, it must obtain that energy from somewhere, and this is where the braking of an F1 car factors in. Another design aspect for the transfer of energy is the connection of the flywheel to the continuously variable transmission (CVT) within the cars. A CVT transmission can contain an infinite number of gear ratios with no steps in between. This is the exact opposite of most vehicles’ transmissions, which must go between fixed gear ratios [13]. When the car brakes, the electric alternator (discussed earlier), captures some kinetic energy, but the electric alternator cannot store the energy. So the alternator transfers the energy to the M/G in the flywheel. As a result, the M/G does the same amount of work on spinning the flywheel. Once the flywheel begins spinning, has immense stability, and very little resistance (it is practically in a vacuum), the energy originally captured by the alternator is can be used to spin the flywheel in the form of kinetic energy. Once the energy is stored, the KERS system must be able to release it. In order for this to occur, the CVT transmission of the car connects the flywheel to the drivetrain of the car. Thus, if the gear ratio of the CVT is moved toward a position to speed the flywheel up, the flywheel stores energy. This has the same effect as having the electric alternator capture and transfer energy that is released from FIGURE 4 EXPOSED ROTOR MADE OF GLASS AND CARBON FIBER [9] Alternating between carbon and glass-based materials on the rotor allows further stability and reliability. Storing the Energy by Reducing Friction Now that stability has been added, the goal of reducing friction remains. Friction results from the rings of the rotor, and air friction within the flywheel shaft itself. These two sources of friction, if untreated, would lead to the reduction 4 Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson the brakes to the M/G that spins the flywheel. However, if instead the CVT is moved toward a gear ratio that slows the flywheel down, energy is released [12]. That is what happens when the F1 driver presses the KERS button on the steering wheel. One example of a modern F1 KERS system with a flywheel is shown in Figure 5. In KERS, mechanical energy, which consists of both potential and kinetic energy, received from the braking of a car is stored as mechanical energy in the spinning of a flywheel with no energy conversion required. Because fewer conversions are required, flywheel “mechanical hybrid systems offer advantages of higher efficiencies” [14]. In addition to the conversions of energy needed for batteries, another loss of efficiency results from the fact that batteries need to maintain a charge state at least above 90% to maximize battery life in a traditional regenerative brake system. The clear advantage of using KERS is in the fact that, when coupled with a flywheel, F1 cars lose and gain energy constantly throughout a race. This constant and frequent gain and loss of energy would have dire consequences on battery life, but due to the mechanical nature of a flywheel, has very minimal effects on KERS energy storage [14]. The efficiencies of both the electrical hybrid storage system and KERS flywheel storage system are displayed in Table I and Table II. TABLE I EFFICIENCY LOSSES OF BATTERY BASED HYBRID STORAGE SYSTEM [14] Cause of Efficiency Loss Efficiency Loss Mechanical energy into electrical energy 29% May undertake AC to DC conversion 9% Electrical energy to chemical energy 10% + 0.003% per minute Total round trip efficiency About 31%-34% FIGURE 5 A KERS SYSTEM DESIGNED BY FLYBRID SYSTEMS [12] The figure displays a flywheel system designed by Flybrid Systems for use in F1 cars. It weighs less than 18 kg, is capable of producing 60 kW, and can provide nearly 400 kJ per lap [12]. TABLE II EFFICIENCY LOSSES OF KERS MECHANICAL STORAGE SYSTEM [14] Cause of Efficiency Loss Efficiency Loss Gear mesh loss 1.5% CVT loss 8% Flywheel storage loss 2% per minute Total round trip efficiency >70% ADVANTAGES, BARRIERS, AND POSSIBILITIES To transport a system that is fairly new and scarcely tested to a road car that has relied mostly on gasoline for years is not a simple copy and paste. For example, there already exists a regenerative brake technique in some hybrid road cars and adding another, more expensive system might raise concerns. Although much more energy efficient, yet more costly and experimental, a KERS with a flywheel must be compared to current methods of efficient transportation, because although it is used in the extremely demanding cases of the F1, the technology is not perfect. As is clear from the tables above, the flywheel system has “measured overall round trip efficiencies of >70% – [making it] twice as efficient as an electric system,” such as those currently employed by road cars [14]. Due to a simple design and fewer energy conversions, a KERS with flywheel system also provides weight benefits over current electrical regenerative systems. With an overall weight of just 25 kg (about 55 lbs.), and with the rotor having a diameter of just 200 mm and length of 100 mm, the size and weight of the system is not of concern when discussing its feasibility of being transferred to road cars [14]. Advantages The current model of regenerative braking (storing energy from braking) in modern road cars is an inefficient approach as it requires converting mechanical energy to electrical energy and then to chemical energy [14]. This type of conversion sometimes takes place in road cars that implement storage of energy in devices such as batteries. In addition to many conversions taking place during storage, more conversions must take place to recall stored energy from a chemical form back into a mechanical from. Compared to such a system, a KERS-like approach to regenerative braking has many advantages. Barriers Although KERS excels in storing energy, it only captures a portion of the energy that is given off by the braking of an F1 car [14]. That fraction of energy translates to about 60 kW of power. However, once the realization occurs that the original engine output of over 550 kW is unchanged with the addition of KERS, an additional 60 kW is clearly beneficial 5 Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson [14]. Furthermore, much debate is occurring regarding downsizing the engine of an F1 car, and instead allowing the KERS to be able to output 200 kW [14]. 200 additional kW is a tremendous amount of power when seen from its singular source of simply braking. To have this type of power additions in a road car without spending many resources such as gasoline would yield large environmental and efficiency savings. An additional barrier to KERS’s migration into road cars is the difference between the horsepower of road cars and the horsepower of F1 cars. F1 cars have three to four times the average horsepower of a road car and go much faster. Because they go faster, F1 cars employ very advanced brakes that slow them down tremendously fast relative to a road car and hence, much more energy is released by the braking of an F1 car than just an ordinary road car. Another barrier is that the F1 cars that utilize KERS technology weigh only a fraction of the cars on the road. Once again, lighter cars mean that the same amount of energy has more of an effect on F1 cars than on standard, and sometimes much heavier, road cars. These barriers can be compensated as (1) shows. The rotors being used in the F1 flywheel designs are of little mass but rotating at high speeds. According to (1), that can lead to a sufficient amount of kinetic energy. But, for a normal road car, the same amount of energy or even more energy could be achieved with a larger and more massive rotor, due to more space availability than an F1 car. This would mean transporting KERS to road cars would cause some changes in its original design. Due to this, a design of a KERS for road cars has been proposed that implements two different modes of energy recovery. The first mode is for low speed regeneration (economic) and the second is high speed performance improvement, for the more powerful vehicles on the road [14]. Although just an idea for now, a KERS system with two modes might be sufficient to counter the weaker and heavier cars of the road. The last barrier that is worth mentioning is the preservation of energy for very long or extended periods of time. Although flywheels can store energy for a relatively long time, because of the way flywheels function, a rotor spinning in an almost frictionless environment, means that the rotor has to eventually lose some spin, and hence energy. So for now, to store energy for longer periods of time than a flywheel, a battery is the obvious choice. However, for the start and stop situations on the road, where energy is coming and going over short periods of time, a flywheel is more efficient [14]. original Flybrid Formula One KERS designs that Flybrid Systems has used in F1 cars. The goal of Flybrid Systems is to create a flywheel system with a design that can last 250,000 kilometers in road cars. The company also proposes multiple uses of a flywheel. For example, Flybrid Systems hopes to use KERS and flywheel design to create a low cost flywheel system that can perform the launch of a car with the engine off [11]. A benefit of this is apparent for the start and stop situations in traffic. Allowing a car to have a full flywheel ready to discharge its energy while in traffic could allow the driver to keep the engine off. With Flybrid’s proposed system, when the traffic begins to slowly move, the flywheel could alone provide enough energy to move the car over short distances, perhaps through a separate motor. This can lead to fuel consumption savings of over 20% [11]. Besides lowering fuel consumption, this could have large impacts on the reduction of CO2 emissions. Different from the complexities of an F1 car, Flybrid Systems also hopes to simplify the KERS system by allowing it to be automatic, rather than at the push of a button as is done in the F1 [11]. A computer controlled automotive system is extremely efficient and allowing a computer to normalize between gasoline and flywheel as energy sources would allow much more efficiency than any human can provide. Lastly, after so many advances in the field of KERS and flywheel technology, Flybrid Systems also demonstrated the reliability of a flywheel system in through a crash test. In a test that took place at Cranfield Impact Centre, a F1 car containing a spinning flywheel crashed with a deceleration of more than 20 g [11]. This is a deceleration of about 196 m/s^2, fatal to most people. However, after the crash the “flywheel was still spinning at high speed and was completely undamaged” [11]. This detail is important, because when discussing so much potential for a system like KERS that utilizes advanced and expensive technology, it is comforting to know that a head on crash will likely not waste all of that potential. This further supports KERS development for a road car, because on the road accidents are very frequent. The KERS and flywheel system would also not damage the car as well due to the KERS’s light weight and compact design. Figure 6 shows a possible KERS with a flywheel system designed by Flybrid Systems to fit standard road cars. Although not available to the masses, Flybrid Systems hopes to deliver a KERS to road cars in volume by the year 2014 [11]. Possibility As described by its advantages and the barriers it must face, a KERS in a road car is far from a dream. Companies such as Flybrid Systems have been working with car makers like Jaguar Cars to develop flywheel hybrid systems for everyday road cars. Their designs are currently pursuing the 6 Muneeb Alvi Zachary Carson http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/f1-technology-kers-deviceexplained?artid=107912 [9] U. Floegel-Delor, B. Goebel, G. Reiner, T. Riedel, R. Rothfeld, N. Wehlau, F.N. Werfel, & D. Wippich. (2010, August). “Towards HighCapacity HTS Flywheel Systems.” The IEEE Council on Superconductivity. [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5466196 [10] T.D. Nguyen, K.J. Tseng, C. Zhang, S. Zhang. (2010, October). “Design and loss analysis of a high speed flywheel energy storage system based on axial-flux flywheel-rotor electric machines.” IPEC, 2010 Conference Proceedings. [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5697091 [11] (2011). “Road Car System.” Flybrid Systems. [Online]. Available: http://www.flybridsystems.com/Roadcar.html [12] Sam. (2011, April 24). “Flywheel hybrid systems (KERS).” Racecar engineering. [Online]. Available: http://www.racecarengineering.com/articles/f1/flywheel-hybrid-systems-kers/ [13] “CNET’s Quick Guide: CVT enters the mainstream.” CNET. [Online]. Available: http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10895_7-62606673.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx [14] C. Brockbank, & C. Greenwood. “Formula 1 Mechanical Hybrid Applied to Mainstream Automotive.” Torotrak. [Online]. Available: http://www.torotrak.com/pdfs/tech_papers/2008/VDI_2008.pdf FIGURE 6 POTENTIAL KERS DESIGNED BY FLYBRID SYSTEMS FOR ROAD CARS [11] THE FUTURE IS IN THE FORMULA From the 1960s to 2012, the F1 has not just been the most advanced racing sport, but also the most beneficial. Providing technology such as the rear wing spoiler, traction control, and possibly delivering the KERS, the F1 is more than just a sport: it is an outside view of the automotive world years from now. The F1 shows how almost limitless engineering in slightly controlled restrictions can result in continued advancement of the automotive world. One example can be seen with the possible implementation of the KERS. Although not in a transferable form yet, the KERS can lead to the development of a hybrid vehicle that disposes of the current inefficiencies of gasoline and battery powered vehicles. After exploring such impacts of the F1 and the KERS, one cannot help but wonder how the world would be commuting today, if instead the F1 directly made our cars. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES A.N. Celik, T. Muneer, & J. Walsh. (2011, February 11). “Design and analysis of kinetic energy recovery system for automobiles: Case study for commuters in Edinburgh.” Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. [Online]. Available: http://jrse.aip.org/resource/1/jrsebh/v3/i1/p013105_s1?view=fulltext K. Ernst. (2011, November 29). “Mazda's Regenerative Braking System Switches Batteries For Capacitors.” Motor Authority. [Online]. Available: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1069983_mazdas-regenerativebraking-system-switches-batteries-for-capacitors (2011, May 17). “Future Porsche 911 models to use KERS.” Auto123. [Online]. Available: http://www.auto123.com/en/news/future-porsche-911models-to-use-kers?artid=131378 L. Gang, F. Jian-cheng, and T. Ji-qiang. (2010). “Superconducting Energy Storage Flywheel-An Attractive Technology for Energy Storage.” Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Science). [Online]. Available: http://www.springerlink.com/content/x7738n14507g0277/fulltext.pdf REFERENCES [1] W. Gray. (2000). “Technical Focus: F1 and the Road Car.” Autosport. [Online]. Available: http://www.atlasf1.com/2000/san/preview/gray.html [2] “Inside F1: Understanding the Sport: Aerodynamics.” Formula 1. [Online]. Available: http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/understanding_the_sport/5281.html [3] (2010). “Nissan Leaf: features and specifications.” Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. [Online]. Available: http://www.nissanusa.com/ev/media/pdf/specs/FeaturesAndSpecs.pdf [4] “Inside F1: Understanding the Sport: Traction control.” Formula 1. [Online]. Available: http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/understanding_the_sport/5278.html [5] (2006, March 4). “Shell V-Power.” Shell. [Online]. Available: http://wwwstatic.shell.com/static/aus/downloads/vpower/v_power_tds_new.pdf [6] A. Bornhop. (2009, December 11). “2010 Ferrari 458 Italia-Special Report.” Road & Track. [Online]. Available: http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/impressions/2010-ferrari-458-italia [7] “Inside F1: Understanding the Sport: Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS).” Formula 1. [Online]. Available: http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/understanding_the_sport/8763.html [8] R. Fagnan. (2009, May 20). “F1 Technology: KERS device explained.” Auto123. [Online]. Available: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the writing center for taking the time to look through our mistakes and help us transform them into something that supported our argument. We would also like to thank Hans Mattingly for the criticisms and critiques that were given to us since we turned in our first abstract, only to help and improve our paper ever since. Lastly, we would like to thank our chair and co-chair who met our standards for great help in return for expecting great things from us. 7