Jump to content
Create New...
  • 💬 Join the Conversation

    CnG Logo SQ 2023 RedBlue FavIcon300w.png
    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has been the go-to hub for automotive enthusiasts. Join today to access our vibrant forums, upload your vehicle to the Garage, and connect with fellow gearheads around the world.

     

  • Blake Noble
    Blake Noble

    Rumorpile: Subaru Considering Electric Turbocharging for Next WRX

    Blake Noble

    Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

    May 4th, 2012

    “Turbocharging” isn’t quite the dirty word it used to be these days. With strict fuel economy standards looming in the near horizon and the price of a gallon of gas unstable, automakers have turned to building and selling smaller turbo-powered engines to increase fuel economy without losing power. Buyers also seem to be responding favorably to turbo engines — for example, Ford's EcoBoost F-150 is enjoying better sales than comparable V8 models.

    While it seems like a win-win situation on spec sheets and in sales, in the real word modern turbocharged engines still sometimes suffer from turbo lag and require additional, sometimes complicated piping. And although something like Chrysler’s 1.4 liter turbo four will undoubtedly be more reliable than its primitive ancestors from the 1980s, automakers are still constantly looking at ways to improve and reduce the drawbacks associated with turbocharged engines.

    Enter Subaru then, who is considering replacing the exhaust-gas driven turbocharger on its WRX performance model for an electric-powered design. According to Australia’s Drive magazine, Subaru’s electric turbo would operate on heat generated from the exhaust which would be converted into electricity that would power the turbine. Such a design could eliminate most, if not all of the associated piping and drastically reduce turbo lag.

    The electric turbo is just one of the many rumors circulating about the next WRX. Expected to bow sometime around 2014, there are whispers that the new WRX will be available as a two-door coupe and have distinct styling that will borrow nothing from the related Impreza. Subaru Australia representative David Rowley spoke to Drive and agreed with the latter rumor, saying that it would “look considerably different.”

    The engine for the next WRX is expected to be a 1.6 liter boxer four, just in case you were wondering what that neat electric turbo could show up attached to. Only one question remains, though. How much power will this whiz-bang turbo setup be good for?

    Source: Drive

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    I'm not sure it would eliminate turbo lag, but it would probably reduce it. It still has momentum to overcome spinning up and down. The faster you want the reaction to be, the more powerful you'd need the electric motor to be.

    that said: *buys stock in Honeywell.... and Hoover*

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Yea Hoover does suck well ;)

    I agree Olds, it will reduce lag, but not eliminate it. I think we will see a ton of new technology over the next 5-10 years.

    I still think we need to move to CNG poweredvehicles.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    wouldn't that just technically be a supercharger?

    Turbojett, I think this is getting close to being a supercharger, I wonder just how much difference it will truly be.

    Electric driven versus belt driven?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    What is interesting to me is how well this could work with a light hybrid system and a small displacement engine. You could end up with 1 liter engines that get 200 hp at full boost/assist yet be fuel misers on the highway.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Support Real Automotive Journalism

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has delivered real content and honest opinions — not emotionless AI output or manufacturer-filtered fluff.

    If you value independent voices and authentic reviews, consider subscribing. Plans start at just $2.25/month, and paid members enjoy an ad-light experience.*

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Posts

    • Today, Jan. 14, would have been my LaCrosse's 18th birthday.  It could have done everything except drink. Same color, but different alloys. (stock photo) I hope that the buyer is getting good service from it.  Every once in a while, when I see one, I miss it. Between the '92 Regal coupe and this last one, I have driven the 3800 V6, both as the original owner, for 399,000 miles.  And the way I maintained them, there would have been a good bit more useful life in them left.
    • interesting conversations... Too bad I missed out on it.  20 years ago....was a loooong time ago.  Ill add my 2 cents worth regardless...or should I say irregardless.  I am not against dialects or pronunciations.  That is how the region speaks.  Like a Boston accent.  I wouldnt necessarily  enjoy listening to it on a daily basis...as an outsider...but if I was a local yokel, Id speak that way for sure.  And as an outsider of the Boston Masshole region, I actually have a chuckle listening to it.  The southern drawl just drives me nuts.  HATE IT!!!  I once thought it was charming but now I just CANT PHOQUING STAND IT!!!  I think the stupid phoques that keep on voting AGAINST their own interests have made me DESPISE the region and ANYTHING that comes out of it.  But...this is how they speak and its unique to them and obviously its acceptable as a language communication thing as this is how these idiots speak.  Their dialect and pronunciation of words has NOTHING to do with their uneducated asses. Their racism and hatred however... Now...what I do NOT like as words of communication. There are plenty... I can ONLY think of one at this point in time though. I HATE IT when people say an age of another person, or about themselves, and say it as:  75 years young.  58 years young.  We ALL grow old. The lucky ones that actually live that long to be called old.  Being old is not a negative.  Therefore wear your age as a badge of honour for actually SURVIVING this crazy world.   75 years OLD goddamit!!!   58 years OLD Jesus effin' Christ!!! Now...about swearin' and cussin' I dont like that either.  But in today's world and for the past 20-30 years actually, swearin' and cussin' are the least problematic societal issues we have to deal with. And its so common nowadays that swear words are just part of everyday vernacular.  Means nothin' anymore to 'swear'.   But one looks like an uncouth idiot when one uses 'swear' words.  I have been swearin' a lot in these here forums...  Mainly AGAINST the usa.   PHOQUE TRUMP and PHOQUE the usa. This is just me CURSING the existence of this useless nation that it has become.  Nothing more and nothing less...   
    • Maga Florida would become the new crappy Capital of Crappy USA Idiots.  
    • East Coast. West Coast. Northern Border.  Yeah. All of it!!! Canada!!!   East Coast: New York State + Vermont + Maine + New Hampshire + Massachusetts = Canada.   These were all French colonies at first anyway, minus Massachusetts and the lower part of New York.    West Coast: Washington State + Oregon + California = Canada   Because why not???!!!  These states do not want to be part of the shythole country that has become the usa so...they might as well join Canada.  Northern Border States:  Minnesota = Canada    Michigan shall be Canadian BECAUSE Detroit  was founded by a French guy by the name of Cadillac.  Reparations are owed...    Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas were also founded by the French but they have become such shytehole areas, mainly the reason that america has become such a shytehole country.  america could keep that shyte all to themselves.  Canada will happily have California, Washington State, Oregon and Minnesota instead.  4 states versus 4 states.  Anyway, those Canadian states I proposed to become Canadian, the people living in these states are normal people and they think alike as Canadians do.  Makes perfect sense that these states become Canadian. Oh...we could give you Alberta and Saskatchewan in exchange for New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Illinois,  Delaware and Maryland.  New York and New Jersey go hand in hand which also includes Rhode Island.  Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts go hand in hand with Connecticut.  Delaware and Maryland go hand in hand and since District of Columbia will be under Canadian rule when Canada burns down the White House again...   The new usa could have a new capital city somewheres in the shytehole areas of the usa. 
    • Canada probably could take the whole west coast.  
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search