The “range–extended” EV (BEVx) considered

[edatoakrun]

Sounds like Wright's turbines are designed as primary power sources rather than "range extenders". When he makes the spurious claim that these are cleaner than pure electric vehicles I take that to mean his truck batteries are too small to plug in...

Wrong, on both counts:

Range-Extending Generator

•Decoupled loads: generator works to charge batteries, while batteries provide power to turn the wheels.
•Open generator architecture: the Wrightspeed Route ™ can use any number of on-board power generation options, including micro-turbines and piston engines.
•No range anxiety! The Route ™, given refueling, has an unlimited range

High-Power Battery System

•Exceptional regen capability: 400 hp
•The high-power battery system provides peak power, allowing the generator to operate at its most efficient point.
•PLUG IT IN, for up to 40 miles on grid energy.

https://www.wrightspeed.com/products/the-route/

[fooljoe]

PLUG IT IN, for up to 40 miles on grid energy

That's good that it can plug in, but it begs the question: If you actually believe the claim that it's cleaner to run it off the turbine then why would you plug it in? Of course in practice I'm sure it'll come down not to what's cleaner, but what's cheaper.

On the second point, the statement that the turbine runs at "its most efficient point" doesn't say anything about how its efficiency compares with an alternative powertrain. One need only look to the example of Phil's turbine trailer or perhaps even a Volt to get a sense of how efficient such a system will be - while it delivers respectable efficiency, it's still not as good as a Prius-like system.

Anyway, the idea of these trucks is great, but the journalism in the article you linked to leaves a lot to be desired (as usual), and I find the stated goal of replacing trucks in the 130 miles a day range to be a bit odd. Such a series hybrid setup would be great for a mixed-use trucking scenario with some long haul and some time doing local deliveries or sitting around at ports. But for a relatively short, regular route it seems a pure battery EV would do the job better.

[edatoakrun]

The story below is pure speculation, IMO.

But I can dream, that some manufacturer will eventually appreciate that there is a market for a light ~2 seat BEVx, can't I?

And Mazda does have a lot of sunken costs in rotary engine development that in theory could be recovered with a range-extending generator BEV application...

Mazda will unveil a new rotary-powered sports car concept at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

The concept should prove popular with fans of the brand, who have bemoaned the lack of a rotary-engined sports car since the RX-8 departed in 2012.

But this concept could also have implications for those who prioritize fuel efficiency over performance.

... just a few years ago, there was chatter about Mazda using these engines as range extenders in future plug-in cars.

In 2013, we saw a range-extended electric Mazda 2 prototype that used a small rotary engine to charge a battery pack.

The car used a front-mounted, 100-horsepower electric motor for propulsion.
But it also had a tiny 330-cc rotary engine mounted under its rear cargo deck--capable of increasing range to 300 miles on the Japanese testing cycle.

The setup was similar in concept to what is currently used in the BMW i3 REx. The engine's tiny gas tank meant it was only a supplementary power source...

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/110 ... e-extender

Here's a link to the story on the Mazda 2 BEVx prototype:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/108 ... -prototype

[edatoakrun]

By 10/30, we should know what Nissan means when it says efficient .

Overview: Nissan Exhibit at 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

...The Nissan Gripz Concept, conceived by designers in Europe and Japan, aims to blend the ability and practicality of a compact crossover with the excitement and performance of a sports car.

Equipped with an EV-technology-based series hybrid system—Pure Drive e-Power—, the Nissan Gripz Concept delivers a smooth, refined and exhilarating driving experience with outstanding fuel efficiency. Within the system, an efficient gasoline engine powers the same electric motor used in the Nissan Leaf...

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/20 ... e.html?rss

Hopefully, it means Nissan understands the concept of a BEVx.

A BEV equipped with enough battery capacity to meet all regular driving needs, and also a small displacement low kW ICE, used to extend the range between stops at DC stations on occasional longer trips.

[edatoakrun]

No ICE for the LEAF, But perhaps a BEVx coming from Nissan, sooner rather than later.

Nissan EV range extender in 2016

...To be revealed in 2016, the new vehicle will be self-proclaimed EV market leader Nissan’s first attempt at offering an electric car with a small combustion engine. Unlike regular and plug-in hybrids, the (usually tiny) engines have no connection to the driving wheels.

...Yoshi Shimoida, Nissan’s Deputy General Manager, EV and HEV engineering division, revealed to motoring.com.au that there will be “no engine” for the LEAF in future, ruling out the world’s best-selling EV as a donor car.

“But in the future Nissan will add [a new vehicle] to the line-up of EV systems an engine that is only for generating energy,” said the EV technology specialist....

The Japanese EV guru wouldn’t be drawn on the Nissan EV’s range...

Shimoida wouldn’t say what the new vehicle will be called although he did reveal it’s going to be announced sooner rather than later.

“Next year we announce what it’s called,” he stated.

If the new vehicle is not going to be a LEAF, it’s possible an all-new vehicle premiering the range-extending EV technology for Nissan could be introduced...

http://www.motoring.com.au/nissan-ev-ra ... 16-100413/

[scottf200]

Because of the impact of the i3 and Volt on their potential sales? They can learn from the i3 and put in a more realistic gas tank.

[LKK]

Will this range extender be like the I3 in that it is only a generator, or will it be like the new Volt which in charge sustaining mode has a power train architecture similar to a conventional hybrid?

The advantage of the I3 approach it is very simple, the disadvantage is it is not very efficient. How the range extender works doesn't matter much if the battery has sufficient range, if so the range extender hardly comes on which greatly dilutes the impact of its relative efficiency. How the range extender works does matter for drivability. The I3 is, in my opinion, a good example of how not to execute a range extender. They seem to treat the range extender as an emergency backup that can be used but with limitations. Hopefully the Nissan approach will not impose this sort of limitations on the user.

You could compare the range extender to any portion of your battery that gives you range greater than your average drive. In the Volt's case the 53 mile range of the battery is good for about 90% of most peoples driving needs. For that last 10%, you need the range extender. In the case of the Bolt everything about the battery that is needed to go beyond that can be compared to the Volt range extension hardware. I don't know the numbers but it would be interesting to compare weight, volume and cost of a range extender against simply putting in a larger battery.

[BernieTx]

...The I3 is, in my opinion, a good example of how not to execute a range extender. They seem to treat the range extender as an emergency backup that can be used but with limitations. Hopefully the Nissan approach will not impose this sort of limitations on the user.

You could compare the range extender to any portion of your battery that gives you range greater than your average drive. In the Volt's case the 53 mile range of the battery is good for about 90% of most peoples driving needs. For that last 10%, you need the range extender. In the case of the Bolt everything about the battery that is needed to go beyond that can be compared to the Volt range extension hardware. I don't know the numbers but it would be interesting to compare weight, volume and cost of a range extender against simply putting in a larger battery.

Good points. The Volt seems to wind up with less cargo/passenger space, in exchange for getting both a fully functional EV, and a fully functional "hybrid" mode. Cost? Weight? who knows. Honestly, all we can do is compare the cars that are out there today.

A valid comparison involves more than just the extra batteries vs the engine/transmission. For example, how much extra volume, weight and cost is a heatpump+DCFC+7.7KW L2? The Volt foregoes those items because it has an ICE range extender, and an ICE cabin heater. The i3 includes them since it is closer to a pure EV.

[LeftieBiker]

Nissan EV range extender in 2016

That should read "Nissan EV range extender to be named in 2016."

[edatoakrun]

More on Nissan's BEVx plans reported below.

It's probably too much to hope that the report is wrong about it using petrol as fuel.

As I mentioned in MY OP four years ago, IMO gasoline is a poor choice for fueling a rang-extended BEV.

It's pathetic that the public is so convinced that gasoline is desirable, that no BEVx manufacturer may consider using a superior fuel.

Wacky Gripz concept (vaguely) previews Nissan's next compact SUV – and its range-extender tech

...As we reported last week, Nissan will unveil its first range-extending EV as early as 2016, but it won’t be the next LEAF, so unless it’s a dedicated new ‘green’ model, the JUKE EV could be revealed earlier than expected next year.

Effectively an electric vehicle incorporating an onboard engine to power the batteries but not drive the wheels, the ‘REV’ will combine the LEAF’s large-capacity electric motor with a small-capacity petrol engine that acts as a generator to charge the batteries when they run down...

http://www.motoring.com.au/nissan-to-to ... ke-100484/