Comments on: Plug-In Electric Vehicles: In Search of the Mass-Produced Hybrid http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html Investment Advice and Investment Research with a Contrarian Point of View Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:55:11 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Energy and Infrastructure Forecast http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-33644 Energy and Infrastructure Forecast Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:20:00 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-33644 [...] addition, nearly all the car manufacturers have announced plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) and a few towns and cities are starting to install the electrical infrastructure necessary [...] [...] addition, nearly all the car manufacturers have announced plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) and a few towns and cities are starting to install the electrical infrastructure necessary [...]

]]> By: Air Head http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-22914 Air Head Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:41:33 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-22914 Some Points taken...This is not for long distance work, yet. But: 1. The compressed air can be made anywhere.....no drilling, refining or transport costs. The electricity to run the compressor can be made by renewable energy. No pollution necessary. 2. The application of this engine may first come with say a fleet of golf carts on resorts. 3. The three stage aircompressor will cost far more than the Engineair engine....so multiple users around a hub would be needed. 4. For home use your aircompressor could provide air for Engineair engines on a whipper snipper, lawn mower, golf cart, small car or motor scooter, 15 HP boat and all the air you need for your SCUBA diving! 5. The range of an airpowered car may be extended by converting its momentum back to compressed air, during braking. This may add 10-20% in stop start city traffic. Some Points taken…This is not for long distance work, yet.

But: 1. The compressed air can be made anywhere…..no drilling, refining or transport costs. The electricity to run the compressor can be made by renewable energy. No pollution necessary.

2. The application of this engine may first come with say a fleet of golf carts on resorts.

3. The three stage aircompressor will cost far more than the Engineair engine….so multiple users around a hub would be needed.

4. For home use your aircompressor could provide air for Engineair engines on a whipper snipper, lawn mower, golf cart, small car or motor scooter, 15 HP boat and all the air you need for your SCUBA diving!

5. The range of an airpowered car may be extended by converting its momentum back to compressed air, during braking. This may add 10-20% in stop start city traffic.

]]> By: Craig Schwerdt http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-16424 Craig Schwerdt Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:34:37 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-16424 There is no magic,, Its to do with my motor design & construction,, I have to have a PCB integeral to the motor, Enables my 3.5KW motor run at variable RPMs 0 - 12,000rpms / Constant torque produced - 130 nm I currently have it fitted to a Mazda 3 2002 model. There is no magic,,
Its to do with my motor design & construction,,
I have to have a PCB integeral to the motor,
Enables my 3.5KW motor run at variable RPMs 0 – 12,000rpms / Constant torque produced – 130 nm I currently have it fitted to a Mazda 3 2002 model.

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-16234 larry brunetti Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:04:19 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-16234 Where do you get the compressed air? This is another example of "energy conversion" that achieves little. BTW, study the concept car closely and you will find that the amount of energy that can be stored onboard a vehicle (even using an impossible pressure of 10,000psi)will only take you a few miles. The volume efficiency of compressed air is so low that it doesn't make any sense at all. It is a wonder that a university actually engaged in this "study" that is so limiting and so useless that it it an indictment of the university's intelligence. Where do you get the compressed air? This is another example of “energy conversion” that achieves little. BTW, study the concept car closely and you will find that the amount of energy that can be stored onboard a vehicle (even using an impossible pressure of 10,000psi)will only take you a few miles. The volume efficiency of compressed air is so low that it doesn’t make any sense at all. It is a wonder that a university actually engaged in this “study” that is so limiting and so useless that it it an indictment of the university’s intelligence.

]]> By: Air Head http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15993 Air Head Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:06:58 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15993 You Americans are barking up the wrong tree! Take a look at this little Australian Company... www.engineair.com.au Compressed air runs this motor! No need for two types of engines in the one car. Light weight. Quiet operation...and the engine weighs less than a conventional exhaust pipe and muffler! Virtually maintenance free, with only a few moving parts. It can be made of ceramics or even plastics because the operating temperatures are low. Extending the range by heating the air after it leaves the high pressure tank, may see a radiator developed to work in reverse. The engine will be astonishingly cheap to mass produce. Monash University in Melbourne won a concept car design based around this engine. And in a crash there is nothing volatile to burn! You Americans are barking up the wrong tree!

Take a look at this little Australian Company…

http://www.engineair.com.au

Compressed air runs this motor!

No need for two types of engines in the one car.

Light weight.

Quiet operation…and the engine weighs less than a conventional exhaust pipe and muffler!

Virtually maintenance free, with only a few moving parts.

It can be made of ceramics or even plastics because the operating temperatures are low.

Extending the range by heating the air after it leaves the high pressure tank, may see a radiator developed to work in reverse.

The engine will be astonishingly cheap to mass produce.

Monash University in Melbourne won a concept car design based around this engine.

And in a crash there is nothing volatile to burn!

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15697 larry brunetti Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:44:28 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15697 Bob, you are right. It is the convenience factor that drives us to personal transportation. As long as people demand to have personal transportation we will be faced with exhorbitant use of energy (in any form), pollution and the overall high cost. We live too far apart, too far from our food sources and to far from our places of employment. It is fundamental and there is nothing in sight that will change this: Cities are dying and people have fled to the burbs. Bob, you are right. It is the convenience factor that drives us to personal transportation. As long as people demand to have personal transportation we will be faced with exhorbitant use of energy (in any form), pollution and the overall high cost. We live too far apart, too far from our food sources and to far from our places of employment. It is fundamental and there is nothing in sight that will change this: Cities are dying and people have fled to the burbs.

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15694 larry brunetti Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:32:12 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15694 Hey, no magic. Solar panel, MAX about 2hp. What can you do with 2hp? NOTHING useful as far as transportation goes. Tell me, what kind of vehicle are you planning with your motor and what do you expect to do with it? Hey, no magic. Solar panel, MAX about 2hp. What can you do with 2hp? NOTHING useful as far as transportation goes. Tell me, what kind of vehicle are you planning with your motor and what do you expect to do with it?

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15693 larry brunetti Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:29:06 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15693 Homer,it is useless. The fundamentals of energy, thermodynamics are lost on laymen. I thought this electrolysis myth had been broken long ago, but here it is again. Any energy conversion technique (which electrolysis is) doesn't give you more energy, it gives you LESS, because nothing is 100% efficient. Even if it was, the H2 that you get will result in energy that went all the way around the block: from the gas tank, through the engine, through the alternator, into the H2 generator. All losses. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. These gizmos generate so little H2, as you say: the result is hard to detect...on top of just adding to the losses of a system that is already only about 30% efficient. Homer,it is useless. The fundamentals of energy, thermodynamics are lost on laymen. I thought this electrolysis myth had been broken long ago, but here it is again. Any energy conversion technique (which electrolysis is) doesn’t give you more energy, it gives you LESS, because nothing is 100% efficient. Even if it was, the H2 that you get will result in energy that went all the way around the block: from the gas tank, through the engine, through the alternator, into the H2 generator. All losses. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. These gizmos generate so little H2, as you say: the result is hard to detect…on top of just adding to the losses of a system that is already only about 30% efficient.

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15691 larry brunetti Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:19:14 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15691 The fundamental "choke" point is the charging time. Can't get there from here. Not enough demand capacity to charge up for any kind of trip. Long charge times are the rule. Will never be solved. Instant demand for charge would have to be supplied by extremely high voltages (to reduce the amperage) and/or extremely high amperage. Even applying the full power capacity of a high power home (500 amp service) it STILL takes hours. Can't beat fossil fuels: gas, diesel, propane, LNG...I KNOW! Burn FOOD! The fundamental “choke” point is the charging time. Can’t get there from here. Not enough demand capacity to charge up for any kind of trip. Long charge times are the rule. Will never be solved. Instant demand for charge would have to be supplied by extremely high voltages (to reduce the amperage) and/or extremely high amperage. Even applying the full power capacity of a high power home (500 amp service) it STILL takes hours. Can’t beat fossil fuels: gas, diesel, propane, LNG…I KNOW! Burn FOOD!

]]> By: larry brunetti http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15689 larry brunetti Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:15:35 +0000 http://www.investmentu.com/IUEL/2009/June/plug-in-electric-vehicles.html#comment-15689 Even if the supercapacitor were made that could hold enough energy to make this thing drivable, YOU STILL HAVE THE CHARGING PROBLEM: Many hours to go few miles. Fundamental limitation. Brick wall. Special charging circuits, 240 volts at 70 amps STILL take hours to get enough to go 100 miles. All are "glorified golf carts". Even if the supercapacitor were made that could hold enough energy to make this thing drivable, YOU STILL HAVE THE CHARGING PROBLEM: Many hours to go few miles. Fundamental limitation. Brick wall. Special charging circuits, 240 volts at 70 amps STILL take hours to get enough to go 100 miles. All are “glorified golf carts”.

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