Questions on Portable Generator Range Extenders

[braebyrn]

Since I have had my 2012 Leaf only a couple of weeks, there is a lot of information for me to read and learn, but maybe someone can comment on my ideas.
I have a spare 2001 Lean Burn Honda Insight 1.0L motor and matching IMA motor capable of producing up to 10kw. Would putting a trailer behind the Leaf like Ingineer and have the Insight motor generating power for the Leaf's batteries while driving down the road be feasible? My thought is that the motor is capable of the lean burn and I was able to get over 82mpg in the summer. But that wasn't generating electricity. It was powering a lightweight car down the road. I have fossil fuel vehicles for longer trips now, but would like to sell them eventually and just insure one. Comments?

 

[TomT]

All other considerations aside, it would be very inefficient in that configuration... You would have a relatively large ICE producing only about 15 HP to drive a 10KW generator. (1 hp = 746 watts in a perfect world)...

 

[EVDRIVER]

Since I have had my 2012 Leaf only a couple of weeks, there is a lot of information for me to read and learn, but maybe someone can comment on my ideas.
I have a spare 2001 Lean Burn Honda Insight 1.0L motor and matching IMA motor capable of producing up to 10kw. Would putting a trailer behind the Leaf like Ingineer and have the Insight motor generating power for the Leaf's batteries while driving down the road be feasible? My thought is that the motor is capable of the lean burn and I was able to get over 82mpg in the summer. But that wasn't generating electricity. It was powering a lightweight car down the road. I have fossil fuel vehicles for longer trips now, but would like to sell them eventually and just insure one. Comments?

The short answer is you are better off buying a Volt for multitude of reasons if you need frequent range extensions. If it is occasional then rent a car. The proper safe integration of this is quite complex and time consuming, there are existing threads on this topic.

 

[JeremyW]

And honestly 10kW isn't enough for the freeway. I'd say it'd need a minimum of 20kW, probably 30, before you're looking at something that you can just keep refueling and driving for a while on a road trip.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Something I've thought would be cool is to make a gadget, basically the back half of a small motorcycle, with an engine, gas tank and single wheel you could mount on a trailer hitch receiver on a leaf... but not a trailer per se, it would be mounted to the car and swing down. Stick it on for long trips, once you get rolling on the highway flip a switch and the engine/wheel thing drops down and pushes you along at highway speed. The battery should last for hours of driving with the engine doing most of the work. Once you hit the off ramp you switch it off and go back to electric.

Plenty of problems with the idea of course, but it could be a non-invasive way to make the Leaf range-extended if you only needed it once in a blue moon.

 

[johnrhansen]

I thought the exact same thing and I think it's a good idea. Why carry around a generator when the primary objective is to push the car? I thought 10 HP would be sufficient to at least double the range of the leaf. I thought to use RC airplane controls to work the throttle and up/down actuator.

Something I've thought would be cool is to make a gadget, basically the back half of a small motorcycle, with an engine, gas tank and single wheel you could mount on a trailer hitch receiver on a leaf... but not a trailer per se, it would be mounted to the car and swing down. Stick it on for long trips, once you get rolling on the highway flip a switch and the engine/wheel thing drops down and pushes you along at highway speed. The battery should last for hours of driving with the engine doing most of the work. Once you hit the off ramp you switch it off and go back to electric.

Plenty of problems with the idea of course, but it could be a non-invasive way to make the Leaf range-extended if you only needed it once in a blue moon.

 

[smkettner]

Yes if you can get it connected 10kW would extend the range significantly but not indefinately. Otherwise you could drag it along and recharge with the regular J-Plug when stopped for an extended period. I would not expect more than 40 mpg if that.

 

[ebill3]

I'll stick with the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) mounted on the roof of the car. Free electricity.

 

[Deleted member 9549]

Another use of a portable range extender, if there was a standard way to attach it and standard way to plug it into the vehicle, such as J1772, would be when someone runs out of charge. Today the only option is a tow to a charge station.
With a portable range extender, a service can come by, lend you a range extender that you can use to drive home. You can then charge up and return the range extender.

Seems like a great idea overall. Normally you don't have to carry the weight, deal with the mess, etc. If you need to do a longer trip every once in a while, you can hook it up, or attach it somehow. Once you're done with it, ditch the weight and you're back to an efficient commuter car. Allows people to use their BEV as their only vehicle.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

^ How about a truck mounted DCQC/chademo/supercharger/frankenplug. Not exactly carbon free but folks could try to avoid making a habit of using them.

 

[johnrhansen]

I heard aaa in Washington has a emergency charge truck. Using it counts against your allowed tows for the year so I hear.

 

[braebyrn]

The short answer is you are better off buying a Volt for multitude of reasons if you need frequent range extensions. If it is occasional then rent a car. The proper safe integration of this is quite complex and time consuming, there are existing threads on this topic.

I was not impressed with the Volt. The dealership that I went to lowered all of the tire pressures to cut down on the road noise. They had the TPS readout alarming that the tires were at 25lbs. All four of them! The passengers in the back had to struggle to get out. I could go on.

I do have a gas car for the long trips now, but it sure would be nice to hook up a trailer with some kind of economical device to extend the range and do it while driving the car.

I saw the Capstone Turbine from Phil Sadow, but not any others.

 

[braebyrn]

Something I've thought would be cool is to make a gadget, basically the back half of a small motorcycle, with an engine, gas tank and single wheel you could mount on a trailer hitch receiver on a leaf... but not a trailer per se, it would be mounted to the car and swing down. Stick it on for long trips, once you get rolling on the highway flip a switch and the engine/wheel thing drops down and pushes you along at highway speed. The battery should last for hours of driving with the engine doing most of the work. Once you hit the off ramp you switch it off and go back to electric.

Plenty of problems with the idea of course, but it could be a non-invasive way to make the Leaf range-extended if you only needed it once in a blue moon.

I like that idea!

 

[braebyrn]

[/url]

^ How about a truck mounted DCQC/chademo/supercharger/frankenplug. Not exactly carbon free but folks could try to avoid making a habit of using them.

http://www.evcarco.com/evcarco/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Nissan_Leaf_turbine-300x168.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[braebyrn]

Of coarse there is always this.... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1079294_forget-better-place-hook-your-electric-car-to-a-battery-trailer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I see that they bypass the original battery and use the portable battery.

 

[braebyrn]

Here is also something that I just found. A diesel powered generator for a EV vehicle! http://evnut.com/rav_longranger.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;