Potholes full of free juice? ZF introduces GenShock suspension tech that puts out electrical power

By Nick Jaynes August 30, 2013

potholes full of free juice zf introduces genshock suspension tech that puts out power suspension32688 — ZF GenShock-technology regenerative suspension puts out power as you go down the road. Image used with permission by copyright holder

There have been two separate automotive battles waging over the last decade: active suspension development for improved performance and ride comfort and also the pursuit of drivetrain efficiency innovations. Now for the first time, the two worlds have collided in a very cool and wildly complex regenerative suspension system called “GenShock-technology.”

GenShock technology is the brainchild of German auto parts maker, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, and the Massachusetts-based Levant Power Corp. The companies boast the new suspension system offers sports car levels of handling refinement in tandem with unparalleled ride comfort while also capturing kinetic energy, which in turn could help power a mild hybrid, full hybrid or electric car.

Sounds like German witchcraft, right? Well, it very well might be. Here’s how ZF describes the system: “the innovative valve system automatically uses the swaying motion of the damper piston to recover energy. Then, the system guides the oil in the damper in such a way that it drives the electric pump motor. This then functions like a generator – it converts the kinetic energy generated into electricity and feeds it into the vehicle power supply, thus contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions. This effect is most powerful when the vehicle is traveling on poor-quality country roads.”

Essentially, when put into production cars, municipalities will be disincentivized to fix rutty roads, as they will be essentially improving the fuel-efficiency of the cars traveling on the roadways – at least cars with the GenShock suspension. Heck, to achieve total eco-friendliness, we might just have to devolve back to wild, unpaved roadways of the early 20^th century.

It’s these kinds of innovations that will push electrically-assisted cars of the near future into unforeseen levels of efficiency. Automakers will have to grab underutilized energy wherever they can in order to remain competitive.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

Cars

Don’t let the gimmicks fool you. The Ioniq 5 N is a serious track car

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N drifting.

We’re finally getting to the fun part of automakers’ methodical quest to replicate their lineups with electric cars.

Performance versions of ordinary cars have been a staple of the auto industry for decades. But while we’ve already seen some variants of EVs boasting more power and more impressive stats — think Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire — the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first to truly apply that format to an EV.

Cars

The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is one of the best-looking EVs yet

Front of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore

Maserati is adopting electrified vehicles with open arms, and while that could potentially signal an identity crisis for the luxury Italian brand, that’s probably a good thing in the long run.

The company recently took the wraps off of the new Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which is essentially a convertible version of its already released GranTurismo Folgore electric car. The new EV is its third go at electrified vehicles so far, and it flew us out to Rimini, Italy, to witness the big reveal in person.

Cars

EV warranties aren’t like those for non-electric cars. Here’s what you should know

Close up of the Hybrid car electric charger station with power supply plugged into an electric car being charged.

EVs are on the rise. With awesome new models finally rolling out and charging networks rapidly expanding, it feels like we're at the tipping point of electric cars being as mainstream as non-electric vehicles. But with a whole new type of vehicle come new challenges. One challenge is adapting to charging times. Another is paying closer to attention to range. And another, as some drivers are finding out, has to do with electric car warranties.

Turns out, the warranty that comes with electric cars isn't necessarily quite the same as the one that you might get with your non-electric car. If you really think about it, that's probably not all that surprising -- after all, while they can look the same, electric cars have a completely different makeup under the hood compared to their gas-powered cousins. But understanding an EV warranty could be the difference between winding up having to pay thousands for a battery replacement, or getting one repaired on the house.
It's not all new
Before diving into things like battery warranties, it's worth doing a quick primer on car warranties in general. EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles usually come with two different warranties -- at least when they're bought new. First, there's the basic warranty (also known as bumper-to-bumper warranty), which covers every part of a car except for basic maintenance, usually for up to three years or 36,000 miles.