The R & D department of General Motors received a reward of 2.7 million federal dollars to build a prototype device that uses an alloy with shape memory, or SMA (Shape Memory Alloy), in order to produce the Electricity from the exhaust heat. The power output would be sufficient to fuel such as heated seats and air conditioning. " A strained SMA wire contracts when heated and becomes less steep and returns to original shape when it cools "Said Jan Aase, director of vehicle development at GM Research Laboratory. " This wire loop placed could be used in an electric generator to recharge a battery . The prototype is composed of winding SMA son in a generator, the passage of exhaust gas by reacting the alloy with shape memory to create a mechanical rotation of the camera.

It is of course too early to identify a real application of this technology, but hybrid vehicles or conventional propulsion are possible ways. " No one but us in the world has gone too far on the subject. In a conventional engine, this system might replace the alternator without loading the engine "Aase said in January.

" The idea of an SMA engine has existed for 30 years, but few devices that were built were too big and too inefficient to show a real interest " Insisted Aase January. The technology is still at a very early stage. Over the next two years, GM and its partners will work to create a working prototype. " For our part, despite the high risk, we have some new approaches to expect a positive return on investment .