If a heavy fly wheel (for energy storage) was spining fast in a car, how would it affect handling.?

Question

The reason for the fly wheel is an alternative to batteries in electric cars. But the flywheel would need to be heavy and fast to carry enough energy. It would act like a super power gyroscope bolted to the floor of the car. How would the car's normal handling be affected?

Answer 1

I believe a flywheel would need to be mounted like a gyroscope, otherwise the rotational forces would certainly affect the handling. Best would be to mount it with a vertical axis, since at least that way turning left or right would not be affected, though the car would behave funny when starting uphill or downhill.

If it were fixed mounted you can bet the handling would be affected, and not for the better.

Answer 2

If the flywheel were mounted parallel to the ground or with the axis of rotation perpendiculer to the ground I don't think the handling would be affected at all except for the fact that its mass would then require more energy to accelerate and decellerate the car.

Answer 3

Either orientation would affect handling. With a vertical rotation axis, the friction torque would pull the car constantly to one side, which would require oversteering to correct for it.

horizontal rotation axis would make all steering difficult.