KERS layout and functionality - charging phase

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS, become optional for 2009. Such systems take waste energy from the car's braking process, store it and then reuse it to temporarily boost engine power. This and the following diagram show the typical placement of the main components at the base of the fuel tank, and illustrate the system's basic functionality - a charging phase and a boost phase. In the charging phase, kinetic energy from the rear brakes (1) is captured by an electric alternator/motor (2), controlled by a central processing unit (CPU), which then charges the batteries (4).