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whatever_n
I know that electric cars don't need a transmission at all, but that would take a lot of the fun out of driving it. Would it be possible to have a manual transmission in an electric car?
Answer
It is possible to as you said, make an electric car without a transmission. Perhaps the best configuration for this is a 4 wheel drive electric vehicle with hub motors. But with even one motor a transmission is not required.
However most conversions from an internal combustion engine to an electric motor will keep the transmission and rear axle. Although this adds a lot of unnecessary weight is makes the conversion process a lot easier. Manual transmissions may even keep their clutch but it may not be necessary or desirable to use it.
I usually drive an automatic transmission but for the last week I was in rural Georgia driving a Mazda Miata (1) on country roads. It was a fun car to drive. I enjoyed the manual transmission and steering for this small car. But back in a big northeastern city, traffic, snow, and just needing to get where I am going easily makes me grateful for the simplicity of an automatic.
Electric cars will not initially be for everyone. They may offer the most advantages for commuters who have a garage or other place to charge them. But in an interesting development, electric vehicles are being offered to niche markets at first: You have the NEV (2), the neighborhood electric vehicle for that quiet little vehicle that can give you a short hop with little fuss and no fuel. Then there is the much publicized Tesla Roadster (3) that has a two speed transmission. And last is another unique "commuter" vehicle, the Tango, (4) this is among a new class of vehicle that has been called "Narrow track vehicles" (5: interesting viewing) This last video suggests vehicles that might be considered fun to drive with or without a transmission.
It is possible to as you said, make an electric car without a transmission. Perhaps the best configuration for this is a 4 wheel drive electric vehicle with hub motors. But with even one motor a transmission is not required.
However most conversions from an internal combustion engine to an electric motor will keep the transmission and rear axle. Although this adds a lot of unnecessary weight is makes the conversion process a lot easier. Manual transmissions may even keep their clutch but it may not be necessary or desirable to use it.
I usually drive an automatic transmission but for the last week I was in rural Georgia driving a Mazda Miata (1) on country roads. It was a fun car to drive. I enjoyed the manual transmission and steering for this small car. But back in a big northeastern city, traffic, snow, and just needing to get where I am going easily makes me grateful for the simplicity of an automatic.
Electric cars will not initially be for everyone. They may offer the most advantages for commuters who have a garage or other place to charge them. But in an interesting development, electric vehicles are being offered to niche markets at first: You have the NEV (2), the neighborhood electric vehicle for that quiet little vehicle that can give you a short hop with little fuss and no fuel. Then there is the much publicized Tesla Roadster (3) that has a two speed transmission. And last is another unique "commuter" vehicle, the Tango, (4) this is among a new class of vehicle that has been called "Narrow track vehicles" (5: interesting viewing) This last video suggests vehicles that might be considered fun to drive with or without a transmission.
What's the difference between an electric plug-in car, electric car, and hybrid car?
Rudolf
I find it all very confusing, I mean, an electric car obviously runs on batteries, but how do you charge it? So aren't there only two types? Hybrid (batteries and gas) and Electric plug-in (speaks for itself) because how else would you charge an electric only car? It must be either a hybrid or plug-in. So why still the term electric cars?
Thanks!
Answer
An "electric car" does not necessarily run on batteries and is not necessarily able to be "plugged- in." This is a common misconception based upon shorthands in speech and marketing. Electricity can be produced on the vehicle, transmitted to the vehicle or stored on the vehicle.
Electric Vehicles are defined by the electric (or other) motors that move them, but because these motors usually only are able to operate on one fuel we commonly refer to them by the fuel and not the motor. This is inaccurate and is the source of some confusion. There are two major types of electric motors. The first is the conventional type that produce a rotational movement that we can use to move tires and there is a type of linear electric motor that is used to suspend and move mag-lev trains.
The electricity for an electric motor can be:
1 produced on the vehicle using fuel cells, atomic batteries, internal combustion engines, external combustion engines or solar panels. When we are using fuel cells we might call the vehicle a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) or Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) for short. When we are using some other engine to produce electricity (through a generator) that then powers the electric motor we can call the vehicle a Series hybrid electric vehicle. Often we describe these vehicles by the fuel that is used even though it is the motors that also define the hybrid vehicles. For example we might speak about a Diesel / electric locomotive which is a type of series hybrid electric vehicle without batteries that is never plugged in. The earliest atomic submarines were series hybrid electric vehicles. When the electricity is produced by solar panels we can refer to the vehicle as a solar electric car or a solar car for short.
All these vehicles might have some batteries that might or might not be able to be plugged in. The important thing is not the plug but the type of motors and the primary source of energy. The range for these vehicles is limited by the energy provided to the primary electricity generator. A solar car is limited by the sunlight.
There is another catagory of hybrid car where the fueled engine powers the vehicle along with providing power for the electric motor. These vehicles may or might not be plugged in. These are parallel hybrids. The Prius is a parallel hybrid. Earlier ones could not be plugged in. Recent ones can be plugged in but all of them don't need the plug to operate. The Volt is a mostly series hybrid electric vehicle but at top speed will become a parallel hybrid. The manufacturer has decided to call it an "extended range electric vehicle" It will not charge the relatively small batteries in the vehicle. You plug the vehicle in to charge batteries and run the vehicle about 40 miles. From that point the gasoline engine provides the power to a generator that provides electricity for the traction motor. You don't need to plug in a Volt for it to run but after about 40 miles from a full charge it needs gasoline.
2. An electric vehicle can have electricity transmitted to the vehicle through wires like trolleys, subways or trams. There is experimentation with transmitting power to electric vehicles wirelessly using tuned capacitors. Essentially these vehicles are always "plugged in" and have unlimited range. The very largest Earth tunneling machines are "electric vehicles" that usually have the electricity transmitted to them.
3. An electric vehicle can store power on the vehilce using batteries, caqpacitors, or flywheels. I in this case the vehicle can be plugged in so that the energy "charge" can be built up in the vehicle. These vehicles are only plugged in when charging the batteries, but like any vehicle that stores energy on the vehicle (fuel or electricity) they will eventually run out. These vehicles might also have the charge built up without a plug. There are wireless electrical chargers and flywheels can be spun up magnetically without wires. The Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi I are Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) which is often shortened to just "Electric Vehicle." This is probably misleading to some.
4. There is another catagory of "electric vehicles" that are indirectly run by electric motors. This would include cable cars, elevators, escallators and In this case electricity is transmitted to a stationary electric motor and then a cable from the electric motor moves the car.
An "electric car" does not necessarily run on batteries and is not necessarily able to be "plugged- in." This is a common misconception based upon shorthands in speech and marketing. Electricity can be produced on the vehicle, transmitted to the vehicle or stored on the vehicle.
Electric Vehicles are defined by the electric (or other) motors that move them, but because these motors usually only are able to operate on one fuel we commonly refer to them by the fuel and not the motor. This is inaccurate and is the source of some confusion. There are two major types of electric motors. The first is the conventional type that produce a rotational movement that we can use to move tires and there is a type of linear electric motor that is used to suspend and move mag-lev trains.
The electricity for an electric motor can be:
1 produced on the vehicle using fuel cells, atomic batteries, internal combustion engines, external combustion engines or solar panels. When we are using fuel cells we might call the vehicle a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) or Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) for short. When we are using some other engine to produce electricity (through a generator) that then powers the electric motor we can call the vehicle a Series hybrid electric vehicle. Often we describe these vehicles by the fuel that is used even though it is the motors that also define the hybrid vehicles. For example we might speak about a Diesel / electric locomotive which is a type of series hybrid electric vehicle without batteries that is never plugged in. The earliest atomic submarines were series hybrid electric vehicles. When the electricity is produced by solar panels we can refer to the vehicle as a solar electric car or a solar car for short.
All these vehicles might have some batteries that might or might not be able to be plugged in. The important thing is not the plug but the type of motors and the primary source of energy. The range for these vehicles is limited by the energy provided to the primary electricity generator. A solar car is limited by the sunlight.
There is another catagory of hybrid car where the fueled engine powers the vehicle along with providing power for the electric motor. These vehicles may or might not be plugged in. These are parallel hybrids. The Prius is a parallel hybrid. Earlier ones could not be plugged in. Recent ones can be plugged in but all of them don't need the plug to operate. The Volt is a mostly series hybrid electric vehicle but at top speed will become a parallel hybrid. The manufacturer has decided to call it an "extended range electric vehicle" It will not charge the relatively small batteries in the vehicle. You plug the vehicle in to charge batteries and run the vehicle about 40 miles. From that point the gasoline engine provides the power to a generator that provides electricity for the traction motor. You don't need to plug in a Volt for it to run but after about 40 miles from a full charge it needs gasoline.
2. An electric vehicle can have electricity transmitted to the vehicle through wires like trolleys, subways or trams. There is experimentation with transmitting power to electric vehicles wirelessly using tuned capacitors. Essentially these vehicles are always "plugged in" and have unlimited range. The very largest Earth tunneling machines are "electric vehicles" that usually have the electricity transmitted to them.
3. An electric vehicle can store power on the vehilce using batteries, caqpacitors, or flywheels. I in this case the vehicle can be plugged in so that the energy "charge" can be built up in the vehicle. These vehicles are only plugged in when charging the batteries, but like any vehicle that stores energy on the vehicle (fuel or electricity) they will eventually run out. These vehicles might also have the charge built up without a plug. There are wireless electrical chargers and flywheels can be spun up magnetically without wires. The Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi I are Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) which is often shortened to just "Electric Vehicle." This is probably misleading to some.
4. There is another catagory of "electric vehicles" that are indirectly run by electric motors. This would include cable cars, elevators, escallators and In this case electricity is transmitted to a stationary electric motor and then a cable from the electric motor moves the car.
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Title Post: Is it possible to have a manual transmission in an electric car?
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