I was passing the windmills in my area yesterday and it got me to thinking...........?

Question

Why can't a car run on wind energy? I'm certainly not an inventer but I was thinking that as long as a car is in motion it is creating it's own wind so it wouldn't have to wait for a windy day to use it. lol

Am I being silly? I know nothing about such things.

Answer 1

I was thinking the same exact thing, you could maybe place a two small turbines on the front of the car in the grill, that would charge a battery that would allow the car to run, and the batt. would be charged when the car is in motion.

Answer 2

Good for you, This is exactly the kind of pondering that has produced some of the greatest inventions in History.

The latest Hybrid cars use some of the energy created whilst breaking to charge the batteries, fans could work on exactly the same principle. There would have to be a cover that opened up when breaking otherwise it could spoil the aerodynamics.

I'm not sure it would produce more power to the batteries than the aforementioned Braking system, but hey, I'm not an expert!

I don't know whether a miniature windmill on the top of car would produce much power, but it would be able to swivel round and face the prevailing wind and provide some power. The problem is It would also cause drag and therefore is probably not viable.

Those clever scientists have made many solar powered cars that work well, although not too good at night ;)

They already make wind surfer buggies, on wheels with a sail , they can zoom along provided there is enough wind.

Who know what will be developed in future, but it will take people with ideas, that's for sure.

Answer 3

If you had your own windmill in your yard, you could

generate electricity and charge you battery powered

car the runs on fuel if your batteries expire.

Answer 4

It might work as a secondary generator or in some type of hybrid-design... but it wouldn't work in & of itself.  It's just not efficient enough to generate the power needed to keep a car going.

It's a creative idea... but not practical.  Good try.

Answer 5

With that logic why don't you just get your car up to speed and put it in neutral and then let it coast to your destination?  Answer that and you'll have your answer.

Answer 6

No, you are not being silly.  It is just that kind of "outside the box" thinking we need.  Basically you would be talking about a hybrid that uses a "fuel" engine to run, but once on the highway at cruising speed the turbine would kick in, or when ever there was enough force to move the blades (like a windy day in the city).

Answer 7

I think the wind created by the car's motion is not strong enough to become its own source of energy :)

Answer 8

The car would have to put out more energy then it takes in and thats impossible.  Such little wind energy will not power the large turbines required to move the cars at a decent pace.  We're talking about slower than ELECTRIC.

Answer 9

You get your car started with the electric motor used in the Ford Hybrid Escape then, when your car has reached an optimum speed, the intake wind is used to charge the electric motor.  When you brake at a stop light, more energy is converted to electricity.

What a good idea!

Answer 10

the energy collected from the wind would be less then the extra drag it would collect.  it would only work, if the car only ran downhill.

Answer 11

For efficient fuel usage you need less wind resistance (streamlined). The extra wind drag from a windmill would substract from that. Add the inefficiencys of all the conversions and you would have a net loss.

Here's what we can do though: If the type of driving you do involves a LOT of puttering around town stop and start stuff (as opposed to highway speeds and distances) then a hybrid car can recover energy that would be lost as heat when you apply the brake. It also shuts down completely at traffic lights. (Its weird... test drive one!). Hopefully our utility companies will make more use of renewable energy from Wind Turbines and Solar in the future so support them and your government on this. Turning grain into fuel only raises the price of food, hurts the starving people in the world and puts pressure on turning forests into fields.

Answer 12

well, first we need something to START the car, if you know what i mean. then it could go on by itself maybe. solar is the future though, takes less space, takes in more energy and now is as thin as paper.

Answer 13

If it would work it would perpetual motion. U expect to get more power out than u put in. Will not work.

Answer 14

No idea is a stupid idea.  People laughed at some of the biggest inventors of our time, and guess who looked like an *** when the inventor actually got their idea to work.  Just because it's been tried before, doesn't mean YOU can't get it to work.  I think you're idea is great.  If you put some passion into the design, you might be the person to come up with a car that runs on wind energy and works.  Don't listen to the naysayers.

Answer 15

no its a concept that is being worked on in britain   they use a small electric motor  to get the car going and then it runs off of a generator that is wind powered    to recharge the batteries

Answer 16

Google "perpetual motion" and "second law of thermodynamics".  This should explain why your idea will not work.  I am amazed, and somewhat alarmed that so many other respondents don't understand this basic stuff.

Answer 17

It can't work, the car would be using the wind created by itself moving, it would therefore be running off of energy from itself.  It's like the myth of a perpetual motion machine, it doesn't exist.  I am sure there is a scientific term for what I am saying, I just don't know it.

Answer 18

the gm ev1 used two small wind powered alternators to help keep the batteries charged, but even then they couldnt keep up with the demands for electricity. also the german ME163 comet had a small wind powered generator to power its electrical systems. it used a small propeller to turn the generator. it is not a bad idea though, and one that should be pursued to see if there is promise there or not.

Answer 19

google  a wind powered vehicle. its been tried before.

Answer 20

Don't think too hard, you'll hurt yourself.