ZF and Levant Power join hands for World's first fully active, regenerative suspension

Automakers have long sought a suspension that supports sport cars handling while maintaining comfort of a premium luxury sedan. ZF and Levant Power now join hands to develop a GenShock-technology to unite the vast gains of active suspension with modest power consumption, minimal complexity and affordable cost. The recently agreed cooperation between ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Levant Power Corp., based in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, paves the way for revolutionary damper technology: "We are looking forward to working closely together with Levant Power.

The objective is to develop the world's first fully active and regenerative suspension, make it ready for volume production, and introduce it to the market. Thus, we are promoting efficient innovations that are tailored to meet global requirements", emphasizes Rolf Heinz Rüger, in charge of the Suspension Technology business unit of ZF's Car Chassis Technology division. “Ride and handling are at the core of the driving experience. With GenShock-technology, ZF and Levant will reinvent that experience,” says Shakeel Avadhany, Founder & CEO of Levant Power.

An innovative functional unit, fitted to the outside of the ZF damper, form the technological basis of the active, regenerative system. The valve technology has been developed specifically for this application. The very compact unit is composed of its own control unit, an electric motor, and an electrohydraulic gear pump. Driven by an electronically controlled electric motor, the gear pump regulates the oil flow in the damper. For this reason, the damping characteristic curve does not only adapt optimally to each driving situation automatically; but also bodywork pitch motions during abrupt braking maneuvers and rolling motions during rapid evasion maneuvers are virtually eliminated. Moreover, the technology is capable of actively raising each individual wheel.

As soon as the driving situation permits, 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.