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Old 11-05-2008, 03:40 AM   #8 (permalink)
Blue Bomber Man
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Upstate NY
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GreenMile - '00 Mazda Protege ES
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A generator and a motor are essentially the same thing being used in different modes. It is possible to design a motor that works as regenerative breaking (BluWaves wheel hub motors do this).

Working with capacitors is much easier than working with batteries from I understand so far (batteries, especially li-ion and li-poly, need complicated battery management systems). The limitation of the capacitor is your gravimetric and/or volumetric density compared to batteries, and the cost. However some are working on a battery pack that is a hybrid itself: both batteries and capacitors. The capicitors serve as a buffer to the battery: they can take the high regen charge and then feed the batteries at reasonable rate, and can provide higher power when needed for acceleration. I dont know how difficult it would be to interface capacitors with a battery back that would be effecient. I do recall seeing an electric car website that someone built maybe 5-8 years ago that had a hybrid pack though. I think it is easy enough to find info on.
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