Question: could you build an electric car like this?

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Answer #1:

That could work. You are not too far from the principle of a Diesel-electric, commonly used on freight trains. In a Diesel-electric, a Diesel engine runs continuously, diving an electric generator. The generator supplies power to the electric motors that drive the train and to the batteries that act as a source of reserve power. You can toss in regenerative braking, where the electric motors are switch into a generator configuration to supply charge to the batteries and you get the latest technology in use today. A modern freight train gets over 100 miles to a gallon of Diesel fuel.

Answer #2:

You are talking about what is referred to as a "series hybrid." The proposed Chev Volt is supposed to be a series hybrid.1 It is an electric vehicle with an onboard engine designed only to run a generator that charges the batteries. The design has also been proposed for delivery trucks. Within cities they would run purely on electricity and outside of cities they could recharge their batteries with a small engine.

A similar series hybrid idea has been suggested for electric vehicles. They could be adapted for longer ranges by attaching a genset trailer like the one in this picture: Click Here and this one: Click Here below you can buy one from AC propulsion to extend the range of your otherwise electric vehicle.2

Using today's batteries you may not want to have the weight of as many batteries to store energy if you had the means to recharge them. Between extra batteries and a genset trailer I think that the trailer would be cheaper so your initial vehicle would probably be fine with a range of around 60 to 80 miles. A good engine size might be one that could slightly charge the vehicle batteries at the most efficient speed (around 40 mph) 3

Answer #3:

yup.

It's called a series hybrid.

It works.

If you're driving a car that would get 25 mph if it was powered by gas, that means your using about 20 hp on average.

Sometimes you're using over 100 hp and sometimes you're using negative horsepower (slowing down). If your gas engine doesn't have to drive the wheels directly, it only has to produce the 20 hp average, continuously, and the electric motor will handle the peak loads. That allows you to run the has motor at constant peak efficiency.

That's why it works and that's why it's more efficient then just driving your wheels with the gas engine.

Answer #4:

what do you do? You work for GM, that is exactly how their Volt works.





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