Would double battery = double mileage?

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by codenamezero

Actually, i just discovered that using a portable generator method had already been done like 10 years ago! :O
A Portable Generator in Your Electric Car

Looks like they "forgot" to mention fe?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Re: weight: the purpose of this thing isn't for city driving all day long. I thought it was for a long trip? I presume that is highway. Weight isn't much of a factor for steady state cruising.

That depends on your definition of highway. You might get a good road map (or even Google maps at a fairly large scale) and look at California highways 4, 20, 49, 70, 88, and 89, just for examples. Not exactly roads you can cruise at a steady speed on :-)

Sounds like what the guy needs is a Volt.

Pretty much: designing an improved homebuilt version of one, anyway. I mean, I could easily buy a Leaf (or the new Honda Fit EV) if it had such a range extender. But a large fraction of my trips are pushing or exceeding their range limits. especially as they're seldom on flat ground.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Angmaar

Where do you need to go that's over 200 miles away?

Moi? Well, San Jose for one. Used to "commute" to there alternate weeks - 250 miles one-way - and it's not impossible that I'll need to travel there for work-related stuff.

Then there are all sorts of interesting mountains & stuff out east of here, or north & south, and the Northern California coast...

And quite apart from the fact that I'm just not going to spend $110K on a car, there's just no way I could ever get both dogs plus backpacking gear in a Tesla.

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

The point, though, is that instead of a pure electric with a hard range limit (so if your batteries are drained miles from the nearest outlet, you're stranded), you have one that's much more efficient than an IC engined car, while still having virtually unlimited range.

I'll agree there is a efficiency benefit compared to a IC engined car.

But significantly less efficient than a BEV.

If carried out to run an entire trip on generator power ... I have my doubts the operating energy efficiency of the ICE would be increased enough for the vehicle to be any better energy efficiency than a straight ICE in a HEV type format.

Unlimited range ... I don't agree so much ...

An ICE generator that can only carry 1/5=~20% of the traveling energy needs is not enough to reach average operating energy needs ... the ICE generator would have to be sized for ~50% of the energy needs for the trip in order for it to at least reach the average energy needs point... once you reach the average energy needs point , the battery can buffer for the peak power needs and the ICE can run the vehicle for as far as it has fuel.

A ~20% energy needs generator is only capable of limp home mode at speeds slow enough that you are consuming ~80% less energy from Aerodynamics + Rolling resistance + etc... That is a significantly slower average rate of travel.

I suspect the ~20% energy needs generator will require more space and weight than adding another 20 miles for range to the batteries would ... which in the given scenario would result in a 100% BEV trip... and have a better total vehicle operating energy efficiency.

I agree there is a break even point where eventually the total needed range is too far for a BEV to do ... But 100 miles , or even 200 miles is far enough anymore.

I also agree without adequate battery swapping stations , or fast charge stations , there is a convenience benefit to a Range extending ICE generator that can handle the average operating energy needs for those long trips that are beyond the range abilities of the BEV.

I also think the % of the population that actually needs that far of a distance in one shoot frequently enough to justify it , is very small.

For example :
I rent a U-Haul to move ... but do not own one and drive it daily for a commute vehicle ... I don't need those vehicle features frequently enough to justify it myself ... There is a % of the population that does ... and for them sure go ahead ... and there is a % of the population that just wants it , and will pay for it ... and for them sure it's there money , spend it any way they like.

[codenamezero]

Well, my daily working distance is roughly 100km round trip, but going to Quebec City, Ottawa and Ontario for example, is easily 200-500km per trip. I'd like go to those places maybe once or twice a year.

Originally i thought the Honda Fit EV would deliver at least 200 miles per charge (somewhat closer to the Tesla travel distance), so i was hoping i could throw in a portable generator to get my way to at least Ontario (~550km) lol... Now that i read the Fit EV can only do 100 miles (160km) i think i will just give up the idea of even getting an EV... I will stick with my current 1.5L Fit Sport for another 2 years, hoping they come up with a better EV...

[bwilson4web]

Some EV advocates suggest renting a vehicle for long distance trips. A nice van or comfortable sedan to handle the long hauls. It is called 'using the right tool for the right job.'

Bob Wilson

[codenamezero]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

Some EV advocates suggest renting a vehicle for long distance trips. A nice van or comfortable sedan to handle the long hauls. It is called 'using the right tool for the right job.'

Bob Wilson

I guess, but i wouldn't pay a couple hundreds dollars to rent a car just to go to a short trip... I wouldn't even call going to Toronto a trip... lol. The point is, 100 miles per charge is really disappointing, if i am to spend 24k$ to get a brand new EV, i wouldn't want to spend couple hundreds more on top of it to rent another car...

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

Some EV advocates suggest renting a vehicle for long distance trips. A nice van or comfortable sedan to handle the long hauls. It is called 'using the right tool for the right job.'

Might work if your long trips are infrequent, not so well if they're regular. And possibly expensive if your long trip is to some trailhead at the end of a dirt road, where you'll park it for a week or two.

Besides, the problem for me is that AFAIK no one rents decent, driveable cars. I'd be stuck with some POS sedan with an automatic transmission :-(

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Might work if your long trips are infrequent, not so well if they're regular. And possibly expensive if your long trip is to some trailhead at the end of a dirt road, where you'll park it for a week or two.

That is the case again where you need to pick the right tool for the job! VW golf TDI's work great for camping and long trips, they do not work well for short trips and stop and go driving

[dcb]

I didn't realize this had devolved int a "jury rig your own series hybrid" thread with a bunch of the same old naivete.

Anyway I looked this up based on the OP so here. The answer is it largely depends on the energy/mass ratio of your batteries and your starting weight.