Daniel
Ok so ive seen some of these electric cars and have seen some things that make me think, huh what if they did this. Here is a list.
1. I've noticed a lot of electric cars there front ends are rather dull and have no intake into the engine. What if we took car design like those we see today and their radiator grills and instead of putting in a radiator put in a wind turbine to power the batteries. This would increase drag, but would the increase in drag really damage the increased electricity output from the wind turbine and even the increase in drag it should be very little since the air has to leave too and if enough research is done could the drag actually be very minute. I could see if a car was going freeway speeds wind would be entering the wind turbine at 65 mph + and even though the generator is much smaller than the giant winds used to power homes, wouldn't this overall increase the range?
2. Solar panels. Only one car I know of has solar panels and that is the fisker karma. Solar panels are getting quite cheap so couldn't they shape them into the roof line and even possibly the hood and other body panels.
3. alternators or some sort of generator on the axle. I read somewhere else that this wouldn't actually work and would consume more energy as the battery efficiency and alternator efficiency is not quite there yet, but if the efficency were to increase could that be more beneficial.
Im not complaining, but i know i dnt have the power or resources or know how to do these things and test them and they are just ideas. If any one who reads this does have the resources to have these tested and create more efficent electric vehicle. please feel free. tell me what you think of these ideas.
Answer
It is good that you consider options, however some understanding of the work that has been done before will allow you to work on the edge of what is known rather than simply "reinventing the wheel."
In the study of physics there are long established rules that predict how our world operates. One of those is known as the law of conservation of energy. Briefly it says that energy cannot be created or destroyed (only conserved.) For this reason we can never get more energy out of a vehicle than we put into it. Any additional energy would have to come from a different source.
Another way of looking at the problem is to notice that the energy to make a car move must overcome various forms of resistance. The tendency for a car to stay put is one called inertia. Gravity, rolling resistance, wind resistance, and internal mechanical resistance are others. We can recover some of the energy put into making the car move. But tapping into the inertia of a vehicle will slow it down. The practical application is regenerative braking. The same may be said for trying to capture the air moving around a moving car from inside the vehicle. Neither of these approaches will give more range than could be calculated from the energy put into the vehicle. We can only hope to make the vehicle more efficient. But as the electric car is already about 90% efficient there is not a great deal of room for improvement.
So we need to gather more energy for more range. Better batteries that hold more will do this but at some increase in weight. Solar panels will add only a very little because calculations and some experimentation has shown that most commercial vehicles could only add about 2 to 3 miles of travel for each hour that they sit in the sun. The solar panels are too inefficient, the sun's energy too diffuse and the area of a vehicle too limited. Only by designing super efficient, single seater, aerodynamic vehicles like solar racers can we get the sun to power a vehicle, but this is not the typical family vehicle. ( see the American Solar Challenge and the Australian World Solar Challenge )
Another alternative is to transmit power to the vehicle. This has been done with overhead wires, but more recently the power has been transmitted through the roadway. (Korean http://www.businessinsider.com/south-korean-roads-power-electric-cars-2013-8 )
Another solution like solar vehicle is to create energy on the vehicle using a hybrid engine, a fuel cell or perhaps someday an atomic battery: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/404293/the-atomic-battery/
It is good that you consider options, however some understanding of the work that has been done before will allow you to work on the edge of what is known rather than simply "reinventing the wheel."
In the study of physics there are long established rules that predict how our world operates. One of those is known as the law of conservation of energy. Briefly it says that energy cannot be created or destroyed (only conserved.) For this reason we can never get more energy out of a vehicle than we put into it. Any additional energy would have to come from a different source.
Another way of looking at the problem is to notice that the energy to make a car move must overcome various forms of resistance. The tendency for a car to stay put is one called inertia. Gravity, rolling resistance, wind resistance, and internal mechanical resistance are others. We can recover some of the energy put into making the car move. But tapping into the inertia of a vehicle will slow it down. The practical application is regenerative braking. The same may be said for trying to capture the air moving around a moving car from inside the vehicle. Neither of these approaches will give more range than could be calculated from the energy put into the vehicle. We can only hope to make the vehicle more efficient. But as the electric car is already about 90% efficient there is not a great deal of room for improvement.
So we need to gather more energy for more range. Better batteries that hold more will do this but at some increase in weight. Solar panels will add only a very little because calculations and some experimentation has shown that most commercial vehicles could only add about 2 to 3 miles of travel for each hour that they sit in the sun. The solar panels are too inefficient, the sun's energy too diffuse and the area of a vehicle too limited. Only by designing super efficient, single seater, aerodynamic vehicles like solar racers can we get the sun to power a vehicle, but this is not the typical family vehicle. ( see the American Solar Challenge and the Australian World Solar Challenge )
Another alternative is to transmit power to the vehicle. This has been done with overhead wires, but more recently the power has been transmitted through the roadway. (Korean http://www.businessinsider.com/south-korean-roads-power-electric-cars-2013-8 )
Another solution like solar vehicle is to create energy on the vehicle using a hybrid engine, a fuel cell or perhaps someday an atomic battery: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/404293/the-atomic-battery/
Help with information about electric cars?
Metallica_
I am thinking about one but had some questions I would like to know before going to the dealer:
1. How much does it cost to get the charging station in stalled in your house?
2. Can you not get a charging stations and use you 110 out?
3. What happes if you run out of charge while on the road?
4. I have seen a few electirc charging stations around, any idea what they cost?
5. How much are the batteries to replace?
6. Are they reliable?
7. Is there still oil (needing oil changes)?
8. Was the $7.5k tax credit good for 2013 (filingin 2014)?
9. Other things I need to know?
Please help even if you do not have all of the answers. I am very interested in one of these cars and would like some education before I go to the dealer.
Answer
I just recently went through this process, and after two months of driving an electric vehicle (EV), here's what I know:
1. How much does it cost to get the charging station in stalled in your house?
It can cost anywhere between $2000-5000 for a Level 2 charger at home, but you really don't need one. The advantage is that the Level 2 charger will add 10-20 miles to your battery per hour. I have been managing fine with my home charger and the ChargePoint network.
2. Can you not get a charging stations and use you 110 out?
Yes. The complimentary charger you get from the dealer is a Level 1 (or Trickle) Charger and adds 2-5 miles on the battery per hour. So at the end of a trip where you are spending an overnight stay or at the end of the day, plug in the car and let it charge overnight. you will be ready to go in the morning. I've been managing fine, as I mentioned earlier, with the home charger.
3. What happes if you run out of charge while on the road?
You usually get a warning before you reach this point once you dip under the "10 miles remaining" mark. CarWings (my on-board GPS and car monitoring system) offers me the option to find the closest charging station, but if I can't make it I can call AAA and ask for a tow to the nearest charging location.
4. I have seen a few electirc charging stations around, any idea what they cost?
As I mentioned before I am with ChargePoint which is like an ATM for EV chargers. So far, I've used $5 of it for when I spent an evening in Old Town Manassas, VA. Depending on the chargers, though, they may be free. For example, at my day job, there is an array of Level 2 charging stations and all of them are free. The stations are free as they are plugged into a solar array.
5. How much are the batteries to replace?
Battery cost varies from make, model, and range. Check with your dealer, but they should be covered in the car warranty.
6. Are they reliable?
Absolutely. After two months, I've been driving my EV without fail and it is a delight to drive. Smooth ride. Whisper quiet. And all the perks (entertainment center, rear view camera, passenger seat warmers, etc.) are all standard. It really is a great car and a fantastic ride.
7. Is there still oil (needing oil changes)?
Nope. The electric motor does not require any kind of oil change. The only regular maintenance you need to worry about is brake maintenance.
8. Was the $7.5k tax credit good for 2013 (filingin 2014)?
I leased so Nissan took the tax breaks on the car which brought the cost of the car down from $37K to $27K. The three year lease is $234/month which, for this car, is amazing.
9. Other things I need to know?
Travel along the Interstate will drain the barry faster so when you can, take U.S. routes that have a lot of hills. With the regenerative braking system you can recharge the battery as you drive. There is a learning curve when you drive an EV but it is a real delight when you get the knack for it. The biggest challenge is the infrastructure. We need more charging stations, preferably Level 3 Quick Charge stations. This was why I leased the Nissan LEAF. In three years, I will see what the infrastructure and charge station networks are like, and then decide what to do next.
I am also enjoying the experience so much that I'm blogging about it for APUS' green blog. Please, feel free to swing by and check it out.
Good luck.
I just recently went through this process, and after two months of driving an electric vehicle (EV), here's what I know:
1. How much does it cost to get the charging station in stalled in your house?
It can cost anywhere between $2000-5000 for a Level 2 charger at home, but you really don't need one. The advantage is that the Level 2 charger will add 10-20 miles to your battery per hour. I have been managing fine with my home charger and the ChargePoint network.
2. Can you not get a charging stations and use you 110 out?
Yes. The complimentary charger you get from the dealer is a Level 1 (or Trickle) Charger and adds 2-5 miles on the battery per hour. So at the end of a trip where you are spending an overnight stay or at the end of the day, plug in the car and let it charge overnight. you will be ready to go in the morning. I've been managing fine, as I mentioned earlier, with the home charger.
3. What happes if you run out of charge while on the road?
You usually get a warning before you reach this point once you dip under the "10 miles remaining" mark. CarWings (my on-board GPS and car monitoring system) offers me the option to find the closest charging station, but if I can't make it I can call AAA and ask for a tow to the nearest charging location.
4. I have seen a few electirc charging stations around, any idea what they cost?
As I mentioned before I am with ChargePoint which is like an ATM for EV chargers. So far, I've used $5 of it for when I spent an evening in Old Town Manassas, VA. Depending on the chargers, though, they may be free. For example, at my day job, there is an array of Level 2 charging stations and all of them are free. The stations are free as they are plugged into a solar array.
5. How much are the batteries to replace?
Battery cost varies from make, model, and range. Check with your dealer, but they should be covered in the car warranty.
6. Are they reliable?
Absolutely. After two months, I've been driving my EV without fail and it is a delight to drive. Smooth ride. Whisper quiet. And all the perks (entertainment center, rear view camera, passenger seat warmers, etc.) are all standard. It really is a great car and a fantastic ride.
7. Is there still oil (needing oil changes)?
Nope. The electric motor does not require any kind of oil change. The only regular maintenance you need to worry about is brake maintenance.
8. Was the $7.5k tax credit good for 2013 (filingin 2014)?
I leased so Nissan took the tax breaks on the car which brought the cost of the car down from $37K to $27K. The three year lease is $234/month which, for this car, is amazing.
9. Other things I need to know?
Travel along the Interstate will drain the barry faster so when you can, take U.S. routes that have a lot of hills. With the regenerative braking system you can recharge the battery as you drive. There is a learning curve when you drive an EV but it is a real delight when you get the knack for it. The biggest challenge is the infrastructure. We need more charging stations, preferably Level 3 Quick Charge stations. This was why I leased the Nissan LEAF. In three years, I will see what the infrastructure and charge station networks are like, and then decide what to do next.
I am also enjoying the experience so much that I'm blogging about it for APUS' green blog. Please, feel free to swing by and check it out.
Good luck.
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Title Post: ideas for electric cars and increasing range?
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