Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Hi,
I think that serial hybrids are simpler (and lighter?), and therefore they can be more efficient in all situations. And they are definitely more efficient in "city" driving. And if there is some sort of CVT transmission, then serial hybrids will do pretty darn well at highway speeds, too.
If you think about it, the amperage an electric motor uses is kinda' like an ICE's displacement, right? So, an electric motor has a variable displacement; whereas having an ICE with variable displacement is a tougher issue.
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Thing is, it really wouldn't need a transmission, because electric motors can be designed to be flexible... Tesla Roadster's motor, for example, goes out to 13K I believe? A hub motor only needs to do between 500-2000 RPM at highway speed depending on the size of the tire.
Besides this, most of the electric motors I'm seeing in home-made conversions and in production vehicles are no more than 9" in diameter. Imagine the torque gain of a 14" diameter motor, which would fit inside most 15" rims.
And the analogy isn't quite correct, it's more like the size of the electric motor is comparable to the displacement of gas, just that the gas has a minimum consumption threshold dictated by it's displacement, whereas the electric motor does not. Which is of course, a good thing.
