Why cant someone build an electric car that charges the batteries as you drive it?

Question

Why cant someone build an electric car that charges the batteries as you drive it?

Answer 1

actually a regular vehicle charges the batteruy when its running

eventually the battery cannot be recharged anymore and it loses its capacity, or a cell gives out corrrupting a battery.  

regular household batteries also are affected by this  after so much use they don't charge as much

a laptop battery on avgerage losaes 10% of charge per year

bn

Answer 2

They have. That is EXACTLY what a hybrid does.

Answer 3

If you add a generator to charge batteries it will draw more energy than it produces. The best generators are only about 98% efficient. So powering a generator will use more energy than it delivers.

Hybrids use fuel as the source of energy to charge the batteries.  There was a car called the tzero that towed a generator trailer to extend its range.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Propulsi...

Another option is a solar powered car. these are low powered vehicles that obtain there energy directly from solar cells. They also carry a battery to supply extra power to climb hills and to operate when it is raining. These vehicles are capable of quite good speeds (cruising speeds of 130km/h(81 mph) are not uncommon.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_car

World solar challenge runs in October (21-28) this year (Australia) This is a 3000 + km (1900 m) race across a continent.

http://www.wsc.org.au/

Answer 4

i dont think that could happen.  even if somehow they did find a way, the process would be complicated or you would need many equipments for that to happen causing the car to be heavier.

ZAP have developed a car however that runs on electricity but placed solar panels in parts of the car to power it while its out in the sun.  its call the ZAP X Crossover

Answer 5

The hybrid cars on the market do charge themselves as you drive.  It isn't enough of a charge to keep driving only on electric though.

Answer 6

I'm confused about your question, because it would seem you are referring to a Hybrid vehicle. But then I thought about it more.

Are you asking about an all electric car, that takes advantage of the regenerative breaking system found in gas hybrids?

If so, several car companies and designers have been planning on developing this technology into their cars should the market for all electric cars ever take off.

Answer 7

I agree with your question.  A high rpm DC motor connected to a high output, or multiple high output generators should do the trick.  The battery(s) onboard would only be used to get the vehicle started and during times of higher power demands (climbing mountain roads, multiple mountain roads, towing or carrying heavy loads in hilly areas).  Otherwise, the generator(s) power the vehicle.  Once the demand goes back down, the generators could route any unused power back to the battery(s) for replenishment.  This way, the only time the vehicle would need to be plugged in is when the battery(s) get low due to an extended period of time where extra power was needed and there was little low demand time to replenish, or a generator fails.  

It may sound kinda crazy, but there are large fans used in workshops that use a DC and also AC motor and a fan belt to turn the blades of a fan to blow large volumes of air.  Why can't this be done on a smaller scale in a car?

Even connecting a low demand DC motor to a gearbox to increase the RPM, and then connecting the gearbox to generators.  Compared to the complexity of a transmission in an internal combustion vehicle, it couldn't be more complex than what we already deal with.  If nothing else, this would give the automakers something else to service, and thus a chance to make residual revenue on the vehicle.  I believe one of the underlying reasons why the EV1 got the axe was because there were very few reasons for the owner to return to the dealer.  They were REALLY built to last!  

We have learned to repair internal combustion vehicles ourselves.  An electric car can also be repaired.  Look at computers, how much has to be learned just to operate a PC?  If there are people that can build it, there are also people that can fix it.  I learned to work on my own vehicle, as well as my own PCs and laptops.  If and when I am able to purchace an electric vehicle, I will learn to do repairs on it as well, and there are thousands more that will do the same thing.

I am wondering if the engineers have even experimented with trying this idea.  There are even batteries on the market that act like a BIG capacitor. They hold a charge and can dump it all in very little time....acting kinda like an electrical turbo charger.  Just by adding a resistor to the output side could stretch that 'turbo boost' out to give that extra power increase without causing the tires to spin uncontrolably.  Maybe this will be an after market add on for street racers. LOL

If these ideas could evolve into reality, a trip coast to coast.....non stop could be achieved.  There wouldn't be any added power drain to the power grid, and technically, a car could be plugged into the house and provide some level of electricity in the event of a power outage.  After all, if the car isn't moving, the generator(s) are spinning producing power, it could power a few lights within the house.  Not moving, the car wouldn't utilize any power...other than to drive the DC motor turning the generators.  

Thinking WAY out there......depending upon how durable the system would be, it wouldn't be a bad idea to plug the car in at night, leave it running and sell power back to the power company.  After all, very few appliances would be running at night, and any extra power would cause the power meter to run in reverse....lowering the power bill.  If buying an electric car could save money by eliminating gas stops, and put money into your pocket by selling excess power to the power company, dealers wouldn't be able to keep them on the lot. There would be a waiting period for them.  If built to last, it really wouldn't matter if they cost double what an internal combustion car would cost.  In the long run, the money would come back (and some extra) to the owner.