<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I'm sorry if this is not the correct
way to reply to the post, but...</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Has anyone considered the "Air
Car"? Sounds like a possibility, but the forums I've read say
its both </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">the "be all/end all" &
a hoaxamous maximous. I'm not knowledgeable enough to pick a side.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Seems like you'd need one MAJOR compressor
to refill it.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Thanks.</font>
<br>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">From:</font>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Rick Vargo <rick@vargo.org></font>
<tr valign=top>
<td><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">To:</font>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">grlug@grlug.org</font>
<tr valign=top>
<td><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Date:</font>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">11/19/2008 01:32 PM</font>
<tr valign=top>
<td><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Subject:</font>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Re: [GRLUG] OFF TOPIC Electric Car</font></table>
<br>
<hr noshade>
<br>
<br>
<br><tt><font size=2>Unfortunately, for the reasons you stated, lead acid
batteries are<br>
really the only way to go right now. The other methods are out of reach<br>
of DIY'ers for the time being (unless you are loaded). Maybe in about<br>
five years ultra-capacitors will be more affordable as this is the most<br>
efficient way to go.<br>
<br>
Rick<br>
<br>
<br>
Collin Kidder wrote:<br>
> Rick Vargo wrote:<br>
> <br>
>> I did some research on this a while back and there are some companies<br>
>> out there that make conversion kits for older vehicles that allow
you to<br>
>> bolt specific DC electric motors to your transmission (specifically
I<br>
>> was looking at converting an S10). It was a relatively simple
process<br>
>> but was cost prohibitive at the time (DC motor, charging station,<br>
>> converter, batteries, and plans = $$$). Basically you pulled your
motor<br>
>> and replaced it with the DC motor with the converter, then a bit
of<br>
>> wiring changes to the car (including adding electric heat) and
filling<br>
>> up your truck bed with lead acid batteries. You can even add a
solar<br>
>> panel to topper/tonneau cover to help charge the batteries while<br>
>> driving... The truck small pickup is a nice choice for this project<br>
>> because it can hold more lead acid batteries thus extending your
range.<br>
>><br>
>> Rick<br>
>> <br>
>> <br>
> Part of the problem here is that lead acid batteries are very heavy
and <br>
> thus the more of them you add the bigger the motor you need to push
the <br>
> vehicle. Lithium or lithium ion batteries have much higher energy
<br>
> density but they can't be constructed very big (so you need a large
# of <br>
> small batteries) and they are more expensive. Ultra capacitors are
good <br>
> for better peak loading but they are expensive too. It's all around
a <br>
> real money pit.<br>
><br>
> As Adam said, for efficiency you really should have three phase AC
<br>
> motors (preferably running at about 440-600v) but the power inversion
<br>
> kills any efficiency. So it would take some real creativity to make
a <br>
> three phase motor work. I wonder if it'd be possible to create
the <br>
> necessary input through selective switching of cells. I don't know
how <br>
> easy or cheap it would be to buy enough super high power transistors
to <br>
> do that though. Transistor switching through mosfet gates can be done
<br>
> very efficiently but there is an upper limit to the amount of current
<br>
> you can pass this way. It might work as you don't need so much current
<br>
> when running 600v three phase. It would require substantial electrical
<br>
> experience to pull off.<br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> grlug mailing list<br>
> grlug@grlug.org<br>
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