This Is Why An Electric Turbo Is Worth Spending For Your Project Car

Though pricier than traditional ones, electric turbos offer many advantages we can't overlook.

Turbocharged engines, once a novel idea available in only a handful of cars being produced, are now common in most production lines. As turbocharging is no longer a new concept, and with more innovative technology advancing with electric cars, their benefits are beginning to seep into other gas-powered vehicles.

One of the newest advancements in turbocharging is the electric turbo. In the not-so-distant past, some electric superchargers were nothing but hot air. But similar technology is now said to be revolutionizing the automobile industry. You can reasonably expect to see more electrically turbocharged cars being produced until they, too, become a reality for everyday customers. For now, a few performance cars from Audi and Mercedes-Benz have deployed this technology successfully.

In this article, we will discuss the myriad of potential benefits of e-turbos, their difference from regular turbos, and what this new technology means for car enthusiasts and the car industry's future.

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Shortly put, electric turbochargers combine the best qualities of turbochargers and superchargers, eliminating the shortcomings of both. Turbochargers draw more air into the engine using exhaust gases to spin a turbine during combustion, thereby helping the engine produce more power. Because with added air and fuel in the combustion chamber, the engine can deliver more power.

Turbochargers are considered one of the most efficient ways of boosting the engine because they use energy that would have otherwise gone to complete waste.

Superchargers perform a similar function but differ from turbos. They use a pulley and are connected directly to the engine crankshaft. Because of this direct link, superchargers can muster up an instant response when the throttle is slammed.

Electric turbos use an electric motor and compressor to spin the turbine in place of wasted exhaust gases. But they are also efficient like turbos and respond instantly like superchargers. Upon pressing the gas pedal, the electric turbo’s motor activates the compressor, which immediately forces air toward the turbine and into the engine.

Electric turbos require a battery, but the electric motor and compressor are automatically turned off after the turbo is spinning sufficiently fast to save energy. But you might still notice the e-turbo rotates a little longer even after the electric motor turns off because of inertia and gases. To learn about e-turbos in more detail, check out our complete guide to the electric turbo.

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While we noted that turbos are considered very efficient due to their use of otherwise wasted energy, the turbo industry suffers from the short response of the throttle, resulting in what is commonly referred to as a “turbo lag” or “transient response time.” In other words, turbo lag is the delay between the time the throttle is opened and the time enough exhaust gas to spin the turbo is produced.

Most of the solutions to turbo lag involve a significant compromise. As with great turbos comes great lag. Some manufacturers opt for smaller turbos, but this is at the expense of more power. Others might use two or more turbos mounted parallel to one another or sequentially, but this design is too complex and increasingly expensive. Some have even used electrically assisted superchargers, but those have the nuisance of the belt and pulley system and a super’s friction.

On the other hand, electric turbos can significantly reduce this lag to the point that it becomes practically instant (the engine responds within 250 milliseconds), much like a supercharger would, but without the disadvantages. The electric motor of an e-turbo doesn’t need to wait for an increase in exhaust gas pressures and spins the turbo as soon as the throttle is opened. With electric turbos added to the system, bigger turbos are even more practical and viable.

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Remember the wasted energy lost upon the wastegate opening in a traditional turbocharger? It can now be used to recharge the battery of the electric turbo. With an e-turbo, wasted energy is recovered and fed back into the battery, and this loop saves even more gas. Researchers were testing this efficiency and energy recovery increase as early as 2017.

By helping the combustion engine produce more power in less time and with less waste, electric turbochargers help save a lot of fuel and optimize fuel consumption. The less fuel you use to achieve the needed boost, the lower the carbon dioxide rates, a major component behind global warming. The lessening of waste, fuel consumption optimization, and added efficiency have all counted toward e-turbo's reputation as a more environmentally friendly solution.

While some brands, such as Audi, have used electric superchargers to eliminate turbo lag, it will be a while before we see electric turbos rolled out for everyday cars. For now, the coolest use of an e-turbo is in the Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. Still, once they are a viable option for everyone, they make a worthy investment by providing more power, less time, less fuel, and a happier conscience.

Hamed is a literature student, writer, musician, and car enthusiast. His favorite topics to write about are cars, tech, and gaming. When he's not writing, he's either playing music or listening to it.