Nov 4, 2011, 2:04pm ET

BMW files patent for electric turbocharger

BMW has officially filed a patent for its rumored electric turbocharger.

It's been reported on these pages before that BMW was toying with the idea of an electrically-power turbocharger, and a new patent suggests the German automaker is moving forward with those plans.



BMW has officially submitted plans for an electric turbo to the the German patent office, suggesting the technology could become a reality in the not-too-distant future. In fact, the next-generation M3 could arrive with the technology sometime in 2014.



Working in tandem with a larger, conventional turbo, the electric unit use a small electric motor to power its turbine during the transition from idle to load, which BMW says greatly reduces the phenomenon known as turbo lag - the period it takes a conventional turbocharger to spool up. In addition to boosting performance, the electric turbo also increase fuel efficiency as it helps keep the engine in its optimum operating zone.



BMW has yet to announce any production plans for the electric turbo, but the time is certainly coming. The German automaker will likely initially use the electric turbocharger on its higher-end performance cars to defray development cost, but the fuel-saving technology could eventually spread to lower-end vehicles.



References

1.'BMW Patents Its...' view

