What Is a Turbocharger?

A turbocharger (“turbo” for short) is an air compressor driven by the engine’s exhaust gas flow. A turbocharger has a turbine wheel that spins as exhaust gas flows through the turbocharger body. The turbine wheel pairs with a compressor wheel that compresses intake air. The compressed air feeds back into the engine’s intake system to increase air-fuel throughput and create more torque and horsepower. See also supercharger.