View Single Post
Old 10-16-2010, 08:57 PM   #111 (permalink)
NeilBlanchard
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
Hi,

Quote:
Originally Posted by dcb View Post
why not hook that 5hp motor to a 5th wheel and stick it in your tow hitch with a lever to raise/kill it or lower it?
The Edison2 VLC requires just 3.5HP to go 50mph on flat ground (830 pounds, Cd of 0.161 CdA of 2.96 sq ft), but I think you'd need a 10-15HP motor for most conventional cars. Those single cylinder engines are pretty poor efficiency. The VLC had a 34% (peak) efficient single 250cc and a high efficiency transmission, and it got 102MPGe Combined and >120MPGe at highway speeds (they burned E85 and the actual MPG was lower).

We'll see how the VLC EV goes sometime next year. Electric motors are >90% efficient. And plug-to-wheel good EV's are about 85% efficient.

Edit: Popular Mechanics drove the Volt 900 miles, and averaged 32-36MPG with the ICE running, and 37.5 mpg city and 38.15 mpg highway, when they included the EV miles:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...ty-report-test

Fairly pitiful, I think.

__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/

Last edited by NeilBlanchard; 10-16-2010 at 09:16 PM..
  Reply With Quote