Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Can I use a GENERATOR to power an Electric car directly?

larryrose11 · 08-14-2008, 09:45 PM

Nerys,
I work on HEV's at Ford for the last 10 years. There is no cheap way to do it on the cheap. If there was a way, we would be all over it. The 230V eBay motor are made to run at a constant speed, at some fraction of the field speed, which is 60 Hz. the only way to slow down the theoretical vehicle would be to use a brake, not the most efficient. If 7.5 kW generator was your only source of power, you 0-60 acceleration time would be "same day" Seriously, it would
take 3+ min to reach 60 mph. It would be difficult to have any kind of safe dirveability w/o batteries. the lowest cost option is to buy a used EV: EV Tradin Post: Electric Vehicle Classifieds
and put a generator and a charger on board, basically a low tech volt.

08-14-2008, 09:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
larryrose11 Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit area, MI. Posts: 42 Silver Civic - '97 Honda Civic 2 door DX coupe 90 day: 35.57 mpg (US) Wagon - '01 Ford Foccs ZTX 90 day: 35.46 mpg (US) Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Nerys, I work on HEV's at Ford for the last 10 years. There is no cheap way to do it on the cheap. If there was a way, we would be all over it. The 230V eBay motor are made to run at a constant speed, at some fraction of the field speed, which is 60 Hz. the only way to slow down the theoretical vehicle would be to use a brake, not the most efficient. If 7.5 kW generator was your only source of power, you 0-60 acceleration time would be "same day" Seriously, it would take 3+ min to reach 60 mph. It would be difficult to have any kind of safe dirveability w/o batteries. the lowest cost option is to buy a used EV: EV Tradin Post: Electric Vehicle Classifieds and put a generator and a charger on board, basically a low tech volt.