Electric Vehicles

[vzqhsg]

I posted this on the BN site. Thought i would add it here.

This is not Bronco specific, but just wondering why EV's don't work this way.

Why isn't there a generator that charges the batteries as you are driving the vehicle? Realize it may not be able to keep them at 100%, but it could help drive the electronics and allow more power for the drive train and get more miles to the charge. If this logic is possible couldn't you create an EV that could run for very long distances? Then we would have an EV that was practical, and I would think would sell like hot cakes! Could a small gas, could be propane, or NG, generator be put on board to do the charging? Might not work on small cars, but a pickup or SUV would have the space.

If we have any engineers out here I would like to get ed-u-ma-cated please.

Thanks,
Dave

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[Judge Rufus]

that charges the batteries as you are driving the vehicle?

Pretty sure that's how EV's are currently designed. Otherwise, instead of getting a 350 mile range, if there was no capture of the kinetic energy developed while the car was moving, you'd only have a 100 mile range.

 

[1970AMCAMX]

They already do that, that is what a hybrid car does, some use a series design in which a gas motor drives a generator to charge the batteries and provide power to the electric motor while some use a parallel design where the gas motor and electric motor drives the wheels and the gas motor charges the batteries (like a Toyota Prius)

 

[Scape Goat]

EVs do not charge during acceleration, only on regenerative braking. The amount of energy put in is exponentially less than when accelerating (even normal acceleration). It helps offset energy used, but does not put enough to put miles back on. At least not on a realistic level.

More importantly, EVs do not use generators. That is a hybrid system. But, I know what you are trying to say.

This question has a much longer answer. I just explain this all day to customers so you get the cliff notes.

 

[truckatologist]

I mean that's how plug in hybrids work.

The reason to have that is bc batteries aren't sufficient yet (capacity, recharging, etc). So a generator is a bandaid for a different problem


Personally if I'm going to have an electric vehicle then I don't want gas tanks or gas engine maintenance or smells or noise or weight or what have you

 

[Brichan]

I posted this on the BN site. Thought i would add it here.

This is not Bronco specific, but just wondering why EV's don't work this way.

Why isn't there a generator that charges the batteries as you are driving the vehicle? Realize it may not be able to keep them at 100%, but it could help drive the electronics and allow more power for the drive train and get more miles to the charge. If this logic is possible couldn't you create an EV that could run for very long distances? Then we would have an EV that was practical, and I would think would sell like hot cakes! Could a small gas, could be propane, or NG, generator be put on board to do the charging? Might not work on small cars, but a pickup or SUV would have the space.

If we have any engineers out here I would like to get ed-u-ma-cated please.

Thanks,
Dave

Haven't you just perfectly described what we know as hybrid vehicle?

 

[1970AMCAMX]

Little Generator Trailer Lets Electric Cars Go the Distance | Gadgets, Science & Technology (gajitz.com)

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

I posted this on the BN site. Thought i would add it here.

This is not Bronco specific, but just wondering why EV's don't work this way.

Why isn't there a generator that charges the batteries as you are driving the vehicle? Realize it may not be able to keep them at 100%, but it could help drive the electronics and allow more power for the drive train and get more miles to the charge. If this logic is possible couldn't you create an EV that could run for very long distances? Then we would have an EV that was practical, and I would think would sell like hot cakes! Could a small gas, could be propane, or NG, generator be put on board to do the charging? Might not work on small cars, but a pickup or SUV would have the space.

If we have any engineers out here I would like to get ed-u-ma-cated please.

Thanks,
Dave

You've basically described here a BMW i3 from 8 years ago.

Do a search on how that worked out and how the experience was. Which may also explain why you have no idea what I'm referring to....

 

[adamruiz2001]

My Chevy Volt (PHEV) already does this, and its 9 years old lol

 

[MayhemMike]

EVs do not charge during acceleration, only on regenerative braking. The amount of energy put in is exponentially less than when accelerating (even normal acceleration). It helps offset energy used, but does not put enough to put miles back on. At least not on a realistic level.

More importantly, EVs do not use generators. That is a hybrid system. But, I know what you are trying to say.

This question has a much longer answer. I just explain this all day to customers so you get the cliff notes.

This is why EV ranges are combined estimate miles. EV range dwindles on pure highway. Stop and go allows the brakes to resupply electrical power to the vehicle. Long stretches of highway, not so much.

 

[Spooled]

The size of the generator needed to offset electricity use wouldn't be worth the extra weight and fuel you'll need to haul around.

 

[Scape Goat]

The size of the generator needed to offset electricity use wouldn't be worth the extra weight and fuel you'll need to haul around.

Correct, and the same reason while solar on the car is impractical. However, solar could help with draw when the car is idle outdoors (ie airport long term parking)

 

[Techun]

Gotta make room for the engine, fuel, radiator, electrical, etc etc. That space/cost could just be more battery pack

 

[BrentC]

I’ll weigh in with a simpler helper as well. There is a law of conservation of energy, and it basically says 2 things: you cannot get more energy out of a system than what is put into it, and not energy conversion is 100% efficient. When you consider this, the idea of a perpetual motion machine is impossible. In your EV charging example, remember that there are inefficiencies lost in every step (heat is wasted energy conversion, for example). Also, while your car is moving it is doing work that cannot be recovered 100% while the car is working. The comment above on regenerative braking is on point - you get some energy back but it will never equal the energy expended. That’s where inputs such as line electricity or ICEs are needed to make up the difference.

<edit> forgot to mention, adding more batteries adds significant weight to the EV, meaning more power is needed to move the weight. You then get into the law of diminishing returns where a cost/performance/range sweet spot is determined.

 

[vzqhsg]

Then if the hybrid does this, why would you want an EV. The range is so limited. I spoke to a guy in March at a Love station in AZ. They were trying to do a cross country trip in a Tesla. Only getting 275 to a charge and then waiting hours to get back on the road. I can see the advantage for in town, local trips, but not cross country.

Thanks so much for the answers and education. Guess I will never be an EV person if the current technology limits my distance and increases my travel time.

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