Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Dave
The EV1 was a nicely designed car but it was poisoned by its 1880s-tech batteries. How good would it have been with a little diesel?
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Big Dave,the car would have done even better as a diesel,as the fuel itself has about 11% more energy than gasoline,and with greater low-to-mid rpm thermal-mechanical efficiency,it has better BSFC.
At higher speeds the advantage would decline do to higher inertia of reciprocating mass required to withstand the higher compression ratios and shock-loading.You might consider the difference between today's VWs,with gasoline and TDi variants.
The lesson for the EV-1's aerodynamics,is that all cars taste better and there's less filling with a low CdA.