The International Thermoelectric Society website reported that Volkswagen showed a prototype vehicle equipped with a thermoelectric generator, recovering the dissipated heat energy and converting it into electricity. The prototype has been shown at the “Thermoelektrik – Eine Chance Fi¼r Die Atomobillindustrie?” meeting held in Berlin in October 2008.
Purportedly the thermoelectric generator is able to gain about 600W from a car running on a highway, meeting about 30% of the car’s electrical consumption requirements. For the moment, the thermoelectric generators haven’t been embedded in a hybrid car, although VW says with the current setup it can save about 5% of your fuel consumption (not 5L/100km, but 5% of 5L).
BMW and DLR (German Aerospace) also competed with Volkswagen by showing a system with a 200W output. They say it has been used for more than 12,000 km. They are both integrating TEGs with future gasoline powertrains. BMW even has them in their plan for the 2010 – 2014 Series 5 cars.
These are nice innovations. If used properly in a hybrid car, this type of systems could charge the vehicle’s battery, fact that would be much more useful than only at those times when air conditioning and lights are being used.
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#1 by Justin @business security systems in coeur d'alene on August 13, 2011 - 5:36 am
Is there such word as economic friendly?? Then, That’s how I define this idea. Converting simple, gas saves money.
#2 by Christopher on January 3, 2011 - 11:30 am
Libra 58 I must agree with you. In my experience the VW has been the smartest vehicle on the road. With maybe, the exception of the Toyota Prius. The prius has demonstrated that they vehicle can be current in design features and also of course economical. Perhaps this inventor could look at combining the best of best.
#3 by Cheap Airport Car Hire on June 18, 2010 - 11:19 am
As a car rental company, hybrid cars will definitely take a big cut in our operating costs, and we can then pass on these savings to our customers.
#4 by Best Coffee Makers on January 2, 2010 - 8:05 pm
Great system. But the easiest and fastest way to reduce gas emissions and consumption is to use the HHO system.
It’s easy to install, cheap and the savings are huge !
Check out for yourself at hydromake.com
Happy driving !
#5 by Bryan on September 12, 2009 - 7:53 pm
i’m like Volkswagen
+ 1
#6 by will on March 5, 2009 - 10:48 pm
Great system. But the easiest and fastest way to reduce gas emissions and consumption is to use the HHO system.
It’s easy to install, cheap and the savings are huge !
Check out for yourself at hydromake.com
Happy driving !
#7 by libra58 on February 10, 2009 - 5:13 pm
How about VW engineers focusing to improving their diesel engines
so that they would last 600000km without overhaul like Toyota
engines do. The VW car body outlasts that of Toyota so handle this
one point and voila!
#8 by Eco on February 10, 2009 - 11:29 am
They could use a small Stirling engine between exhaust of a Atkinson cicle engine and water radiator linked to a power generator.
#9 by Minka Sternoiva on February 10, 2009 - 2:22 am
The system itself seems to be static, so that the maintenance costs would be very low, if there would be any at all. This sound great to me.
#10 by Sursture on February 9, 2009 - 7:15 pm
600W??? Equals 0.8 Hp (Horse Powers) —- What a saving!
#11 by werner on February 9, 2009 - 3:25 pm
Awesome