Chinese car firm wows Geneva with turbine powered supercar plans

Designed by Beijing automotive R&D firm TechRules, the so-called Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV) system is claimed to be 50 per cent more efficient than existing range extenders.

The technology is being demonstrated at the 2016 Geneva motorshow on board a concept two-seater all-wheel drive concept supercar. The turbine generator is carried behind the passenger cabin and in front of the rear wheels, making the concept a ‘mid-engined’ electric vehicle. The firm has announced plans to introduce a supercar powered by the technology within the next few years.

Powered by aviation fuel, the system’s micro turbine is used to drive a generator, which charges a battery that provides electricity to drive the traction motors.

During operation air drawn into the micro turbine is passed through a heat exchanger where heat from the exhaust air is transferred to the cold intake air after it has been compressed.

Ignition of the compressed and heated fuel-air mixture generates energy which is channeled at high speeds to turn the turbine vanes. As this hot exhaust gas is expelled, it passes through the heat exchanger to ensure the heat energy is recuperated and transferred to cold intake air.