Turning Tires into Turbines

by Luis Marrrero | 8:00 am May 21st, 2011

Like this idea and put it on tv.
7 Comments
Discuss this idea
Email signup
Weekly updates
Got an Idea?
Get going already!
tire turbine

Here are my thoughts. Those huge windmills use wind to create energy. A typical car has shafts or axles connected to the wheels and when the wheels turn, the car moves. Now, what if we use the windmill concept on a miniature scale to create a self-energized vehicle. First windmill type turbines are constructed 3 to 4 or 5 feet long. The amount of this type of turbine used would depend on the size of the vehicle. The axle or shaft on the vehicle are modified by adding a gear or a bearing next to the tires to turn the turbine as the car moves by the use of a belt or series of gears,. The spinning of the wheels/axles functions as the blades of a windmill. The turbines are placed underneath the vehicle (across or along the vehicle) in a way that the energy created is tapped and transmitted to the cell or electric engine. As the wheels turn, energy is created and by the use of regulators, it can be stabilized. Since there is constant energy created there is no need for huge batteries. There could be another way to do this by using energy provided by the battery to help turn the shafts.

7 Responses to “Turning Tires into Turbines”


  1. Interesting idea. How much electricity would be produced?
    How much energy would be needed to turn the turbines?
    There have to be losses, otherwise you have what amounts
    to a perpetual motion machine.

    How about a small internal combustion engine to charge
    a small bank of batteries and drive the car with your turbines
    to add charging capability?


  2. I’d like to second the perpetual motion machine comment. Unless this technology, or any technology hoping to turn the kinetic energy of the car’s motion to charging capability, is employed only during braking or times when the engine and turbines are not running against each other, you are actually wasting more energy, and certainly not producing any.

    On the other hand, adding turbines that only provide resistance and charging capability when the driver brakes *will* charge a battery, and will improve braking distance. This technology is alot like the electric generators in some electric and hybrid cars that use energy from braking to charge the battery.


  3. If you’re going to use a turbine, why not just use a small one like those used for model R/C airplanes, and attach THAT to a generator? Should be far more efficient than an ICE


  4. why have all the extra trouble of putting a turbine blade in? why not just incorporate the magnets and coils that wind turbines generate power with into the wheels themselves? just have coils completely around the outside of the brake assembly, and the inside of the tire lined with magnets. this way, as the car moves, each of the tires generates a small voltage. obviously i’m not naive enough to think that perpetual motion is achievable, however it could extend the battery life in electric cars.


  5. I had an idea of putting magnetic strips across roadways with
    pickup coils on the cars and generating electricity to recharge
    the batteries. This kind of generation, and your idea as well
    takes work. They (yours, especially) might be another good
    method for regenerative braking as Riley described. The method
    currently used involves turning a generator which also is used
    to run the car.


  6. When I said it “takes work” I meant that you can’t get something
    for nothing. You end up slowing the vehicle instead of driving it.


  7. Here’s one I just saw that would add energy supposedly without increasing resistance to forward motion.

    http://spie.org/x48202.xml

    This is only a small amount of energy. Much like the braking regenerators, what we’re talking about is reducing the wasted energy inherent in driving todays roads. In no way can these methods actually produce positive energy – that would be contradictory to the laws of science.

hi there! care to post a comment?

By submitting a comment, you agree to abide by our user conduct rules outlined in our terms of service.