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Rumor: Next Gen WRX to use electric turbo.

Quote:

All-New Subaru WRX: What to Expect
Electric Turbo? Three-Door Hatch? How the New WRX Fits into Subaru's Plans
February 06, 2012By Peter Lyon
Illustrator: Holiday Auto Magazine

http://image.motortrend.com/f/364370...lustration.jpg

After its recently revealed "Motion V" program was announced late last year, Subaru bosses arranged a special briefing for potential investors. At that meeting, senior staffers laid out a road map of what models and new technologies would be unveiled up to 2015.

It started with the all-new Impreza of last year, the BRZ and Forester which will go on sale this year, the Exiga minivan in 2013, the all-new WRX (which will diverge from the Impreza platform) and a brand new sport wagon for 2014, and the all-new Legacy in 2015.
Of note on the technology side is a new direct injection turbocharged engine slated for introduction by the end of this year. And that's just part of Subaru's powertrain plans. According to a source close to Subaru, the company is currently working on a three-stage plan:
Stage 1 (completed) - Direct injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer incorporating Toyota's DS-4 technology for the BRZ
Stage 2 - Direct injection turbocharged variant of the FA20 2.0-liter
Stage 3 - High-powered four-cylinder turbo boxer for the next generation WRX. While the final engine capacity has not been decided yet, the consensus inside Subaru is leaning towards downsizing and tweaking the BRZ's FA20 2.0-liter unit into a 1.6-liter turbo featuring new lean-burn technology.
This is where the story gets interesting. We hear the turbo destined for production later this year and the one being developed for the WRX are two different beasts. That is to say that the WRX, which is expected to return in three-door hatchback and sedan forms (check out our CG image to see how one artist visualizes the hatch), is rumored to employ a turbo with some form of electric device. This has been a while coming as Subaru took out a patent on an electrically-operated turbo back in 2007.
While the internals are still secret, our source did mention that the new turbo would use heat energy from exhaust gases to generate the necessary electricity. That means that the new turbo will do away with the complicated piping prevalent in current turbos. This new system will generate greatly improved energy efficiency which will in turn basically eradicate turbo lag. Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda have all dabbled with electric turbos, but Subaru could be the first to bring the idea to production.
Whether the WRX will stage a comeback to the WRC is undecided, but Subaru did say that we can expect to see the car in competitive events from road racing to rallying.

Source: http://www.motortrend.com/features/a...hat_to_expect/

Extremely interesting. Sounds like this could open up a whole new thing for FI. Maybe solve some space problems for a turbo in the FRS/BRZ.

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We hear the turbo destined for production later this year and the one being developed for the WRX are two different beasts.

So new WRX later this year for 2013 model year? :popcorn:

Hmm, sounds good to me. Maybe it's a good thing I'm leaning toward waiting on the FR-S for another year or so..

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Originally Posted by suprachica79 (Post 128385)

Hmm, sounds good to me. Maybe it's a good thing I'm leaning toward waiting on the FR-S for another year or so..

Agreed. Let the mass hysteria die down. See if any news of TRD/STI versions comes out and any other news on other cars. Let all the kinks be worked out of first year model.

If they really pull it off, props to them. This is the next step in hybrid tech, moving electrical load to a waste pressure recovery turbine.
It also allows the turbine to run at low backpressure, with supplemented energy from the crankshaft for the supercharger.

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Originally Posted by serialk11r (Post 128411)

I think you're on to something. The description made me think of the new F1 turbo-compounding. Left over (after 'normal' turbine) exhaust gas spins generator, generator powers electric motor, electric motor helps spin tires.

I wonder if they're looking a few years forward in terms of rally homologation?

Yep, like F1 but this is actually better. I think in F1 they want to use the secondary turbine after the first turbine which is directly hooked up to the compressor.
If the entire system is electric, then transient response is no longer much of an issue because you can "borrow" energy from the battery and stuff, so you can fit a bigger turbine which causes low backpressure, and then use shaft power to supplement the supercharger if the turbo isn't up to speed.

Basically, in your typical turbocharged car the turbine is the biggest compromise. The turbine can't overpower the compressor, despite there being a huge excess of energy in the exhaust, so it blows most of that energy by. Since turbines operate best near their maximum speed, the turbine is not attached to the engine, but this creates a transient response issue and thus the turbine housing intentionally creates some backpressure to give the compressor more power.

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Originally Posted by serialk11r (Post 128449)

I think F1 could make itself relevant to the rest of us (performance hybrids) if the stupid FIA didn't limit how much energy they can recover and use. What is the sense of that???

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Originally Posted by tranzformer (Post 128391)

Agreed. Let the mass hysteria die down. See if any news of TRD/STI versions comes out and any other news on other cars. Let all the kinks be worked out of first year model.

There already is TRD...

STI is out now as well http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3609

nothing spec.

The FIA rules are honestly quite baffling sometimes...they have these beautiful flywheel systems and insanely high specific output motors that can capture ridiculous amounts of energy...and then they limit how much they're allowed to use. This is in a race setting where a hybrid system actually gives a power/weight advantage if done right.

I bet the way they set up the turbocompounding thing has to do with the rules too. With their money, they could easily do a full electric boost system.

Personally I think some of the aero restrictions are stupid too but I guess there are counterarguments.

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Originally Posted by Slide (Post 128476)

There already is TRD...

USDM where 90% of us are from. Thanks.