Why can't we put 40 batteries under the hood and get more power this way?

Question

Consider how much weight the motor in your car weighs now. Would 80 batteries weigh more? Why wouldn't 40 batteries run 40 times faster? And why couldn't we have 40 more charged and ready to go in case the first 40 went dead. Why don't they make car bodies out of rubber? It wouldn't rust, wrinkle, or leak. I think it would be lighter, and we could just grind up the old tires to make more cars. Wouldn't bouncing be a softer impact than crushing into metal? Why don't we have screened windows in our cars? and ceiling exhaust fans? Why can't they make cheaper cars????

Answer 1

The power you get from even 40 batteries could never match the sort of energy you get from burning petrol.

For your insane idea about a rubber car, do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!? Car's nowadays are designed to crumple under impact to spread out the impulse (change in momentum). It is the impulse of a crash that kills and maims. Bouncing off in the opposite direction (as a rubber car would do) is the absolute last thing you want in a crash - about on a par with the car catching fire and melting the locks shut so you can't get out. Bouncing off a collision means you have to slow down to 0m/s and then speed up in the opposite direction. Since momentum is a vector this effectively doubles the impulse of a collision meaning you have a lot less chance surviving.

Answer 2

internal combustion engines require fuel to burn.

electric cars are a reality, but they suffer from performance and needing frequntly recharged. Im sure many are trying to figure out how to get more power AND longer life from batteries to accommodate this. Now, they are getting one or the other.

Answer 3

A lot of this sounds good in theory. In theory only.

First of all, more batteries would not make a car go faster. The internal combustion engine gets it's power from the burning of fuel, not from the batteries. Actually, the battery gets it's power from the engine. The only thing the battery does is provide the spark to cause combustion (in the case of gas engines) and provide power for the accessories like the radio, all the while being recharged by the engine. Besides, batteries are very heavy as many of them contain nickle.

True, rubber bodies would be lighter, but they would not be stiff enough to support any force. Rubber is simply not strong or rigid enough to work as car bodies.

The purpose of glass windows is to deflect air and decrease the breezes and rushing air. Screens could actually increase wind resistance and negate any benefit of being lighter than glass.

Answer 4

HEY! ! ! That rubber car was my line, but if you put screens on the windows the the dogs couldn't stick their heads out.

And they need all of those ground up tires to fill the seams in Astroturf.

I don't know how much faster you would want an electric car to go.

The Tesla roadster goes from 0 to 60 in less that 4 seconds and has a top speed of 125, with a range of 200 mile between charges, at the modest price of only $98,000, but they do expect for that to increase.

http://greenhome.huddler.com/products/20...

The Tango goes from 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds, does the 1/4 mile in 12 seconds, and 100 MPH, with a range of 60 miles per charge, and only $108,000, or you can upgrade to lithium-ion batteries for a 200 mile range. And is highway legal because it is classified as a motorcycle.

http://www.commutercars.com/

The reason that most electric car only go 25 MPH is because of federal regulation, but this applies to factory complete cars, cars built from a kit, or modified gas cars converted to electric are not regulated by this regulation.

http://www.evalbum.com/cntrl/CAFE/

Answer 5

interesting idea  

Answer 6

A rubber body would probably be heavier than fiberglass and then the car would need more energy to move.  If you tried to make a light rubber body, then the rubber would be to malleable.  Screened windows would obscure a cop's view much in the same way as tinted windows.  I don't know why we don't have ceiling fans, that would be cool.  Cheaper cars would mean less profit.