Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
I think that weight is a lot more important when you have a internal combustion engine, than when you have an electric motor. Because when the engine is wasting about 2X more energy than it is producing, acceleration is a huge loss. With an electric motor you are losing only 1/10th the energy, so acceleration is not as critical -- and you can return 60-75% of the excess kinetic energy back to the battery with regenerative braking.
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Electric motors are least efficient at start up and low RPMs so weight is still an issue. Less weight would reduce the load peaks which in addition to saving battery charge would also extend the lifetime of the batteries.