Why can't they make an electric powered car that charges itself as it drives?

Question

Ok, well cars have an alternator, which charges the battery while the car is being driven.

With all the advancements in technology since the creation of the alternator, why haven't they made one that can self-sustain a whole battery while being driven? Why can't they make a car that runs on electricity, and an alternator that keeps it charged, so you don't have to plug it in and recharge it?

Answer 1

Go to school !!! U will find out that what u propose is impossible.

Answer 2

Because it violates some basic physical laws.  You're talking about a perpetual motion machine.  The energy has to come from somewhere.  

You can't have a machine that generates energy while it runs, and runs only on the energy that it generates.    You're just moving energy from the battery to the car then back to the battery.  

Sorry.

Answer 3

Well there you go, build the better mouse trap

Answer 4

That's the same as asking why you can't build a perpetual motion machine.  It violates the laws of thermodynamics.

http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/...

What you're basically talking about is a hybrid.  Gas/electric hybrids convert mechanical energy to electric energy, which is stored in the battery.  It does charge itself as it drives, but the energy comes from the gasoline, which is what you're neglecting.

Answer 5

FRICTION

Answer 6

If they run the electric engine backwards to slow you down when breaking maybe it could act like a alternator and could add some juice back.  Think of it like a jake brake.  

Otherwise, have you been playing with the wall outlets again?

I wish life was that simple.

Answer 7

it makes sense....they do that with cell phones..it can be on and still chargee great idea!! get it patented=]

p.s. this ? was my 700th point on yahoo answers =]]]].

thanks!

Answer 8

the charging needed to run the car would slow the car to the point in which it stops unless you add more energy from another source in some way.  

Dana has the answer, its the same thing as perpetual motion.

I guess they could find ways to improve energy conservation, but that is sort of how hybrids work now.  They collect and store the energy released during braking instead of letting it just convert to heat and disappear.

Answer 9

because that would cause a lot more air pollution