Towable Generator
 

Just read this:

How one inventor wants to boost EVs with a towable turbine | Motoramic - Yahoo! Autos

Wow, I never thought to go into business selling $240 cords after I made a 220>110 cord out of an old dryer cord and an outlet box. *smacks forehead*

Whats worse is the Leafs plug in forces you to use something rediculous like that cable.

I like the idea of a towed gennie, but a 30K dollar turbine?

Until prices come down, turbines are out of the equation.

Are reasonably priced turbines a possibility? Or will they always be expensive due to the need to use parts made of unobtanium?

I would like to see a similar trailered generator made using a midsized motorycle engine. It should make plenty power and not weigh all that much more than a turbine.

Working on portable gas turbines is my job.
Turbines are expensive due to material, labor and insurance costs.
Ebay: Inconel and hastalloy to get an idea of the costs.
Those are the alloys that make up the outer case and high speed moving parts.
There is no compairing the cost of gas turbines to say computers and cell phones.

Also search "EV pusher trailer".

Better alternative to the Chevy Volt
 

As somebody who lives in the city, but needs to travel 200 miles four times a year... I had thought of this concept before, albeit with a regular gas engine, not a turbine.
There is one big advantage compared to a plain EV: range!
And, there are also big advantages compared to a ER-EV like the Volt:
-reduced complexity of the vehicle itself
-reduced weight of the vehicle (no need to carry your gas engine around when you don't need it)
-might be quieter than having the engine in the car, and therefore it could run at constant rpm without annoying "the average consumer"

Now, if a company started making those trailers using optimized gas engines like the one Lotus designed (very light, simple technology, durable, optimized for efficiency) {see Lotus Designs Extended Range Electric Crate Engine} there would be 0 reasons why you can't have an EV as your primary and only vehicle!!!!

Good for lotus, they invented the gasoline generator.

You do not need a turbine to go, nor do you need one that can power your 3000lb non-aero car at 85mph either.

There are lower cost turbines, you find them salvage at govliquidation.com, similar to what the guy with the turbine powered humvee did.

Be aware that the learning curve and tooling is steep.

Turbine this turbine that:
10 kw Diesel Generator - Free Shipping

ufdah, that ain't light and it omits critical data like 10kwh per gallon or GPH @ % load info

rmay635703 -

There is no reason to run it on part load. (The Leaf having a battery and all that)

There also is no reason to loose 20% efficiency to charge the battery when unnecessary.

Turbines have terrible fuel specifics. Flight planning for a turbine engine is right at .55 LB/HP/Hour. A leaned gasoline engine is at .40. diesels are around .35, and the big ones in the ships have made it down to .26.
A small diesel will mop up the floor with that turbine in every possible category save one: weight. Fixate on weight and you get absurd ideas like this one.

I snapped a pic of the fuel consumption chart on a diesel welder I maintain.
Its a 4 cylinder, 2.7L turbo john deere and the chart peaks at about 9kw and consumes just under 1.5 gallons per hour.
Also this thing is over 25 years old.