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I wonder how much of their knowledge of motors and batteries are usable in cars though. The power draw and load characteristics must be very, very different and

I wonder how much of their knowledge of motors and batteries are usable in cars though. The power draw and load characteristics must be very, very different and I don't think it simply scales up. A fan or vacuum motor is basically ramping up, running at constant speed (either fixed rpm, or fixed drive depending on how they designed it), and ramps down. A car motor on the other hand must be able to meet much more dynamic use. Also, the image we get from the article is "we have the motor, now we just need the car" understates how hard it must be to build a robust, safe, efficient, etc, car. (not that I have much experience apart from How it's made, and various factory clips on youtube :) ). At least, he says it won't be cheap.

retSava 9y ago
I can recommend this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDr4L6BzpP8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDr4L6BzpP8 "Tearing Down the Model T of Our Time - Autoline After Hours 284" and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa5_tudyAF8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa5_tudyAF8 "BMW i3 Factory Production Tour"
hliyan 9y ago
It never actually occurred to me that appliance companies will now have a slightly easier time breaking into the automobile market. It'd be interesting to see a Philips or LG minicar...
- retSava 9y ago
  Dyson might find a niche as a motor vendor to others that build the rest of the car, instead of actually building cars. I can see that as a better thing.
IshKebab 9y ago
The biggest difference is that Dyson's existing motors are all effectively cooled 'for free' by passing the air that they are blowing through the motor. The biggest difficulty of making a motor really small and powerful is heat dissipation. With a car the motor can't be cooled in that way (at least not at low speeds and not as easily), so I imagine the design is a bit different. Incidentally that is why they don't make wet & dry vacuums - in those the air can't go through the motor so it can't cool it.
- retSava 9y ago
  Aha, I always figured that was primarily due to the risk of mold and unwanted organic events in the dust compartment. It's interesting, air and cooling. I read that a problem that might occur if you are changing to wider tires on the car, or lowering the suspension, is that brakes will more easily overheat and thus warp.

retSava 9y ago

I can recommend this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDr4L6BzpP8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDr4L6BzpP8 "Tearing Down the Model T of Our Time - Autoline After Hours 284" and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa5_tudyAF8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa5_tudyAF8 "BMW i3 Factory Production Tour"

hliyan 9y ago

It never actually occurred to me that appliance companies will now have a slightly easier time breaking into the automobile market. It'd be interesting to see a Philips or LG minicar...

retSava 9y ago
Dyson might find a niche as a motor vendor to others that build the rest of the car, instead of actually building cars. I can see that as a better thing.

IshKebab 9y ago

The biggest difference is that Dyson's existing motors are all effectively cooled 'for free' by passing the air that they are blowing through the motor. The biggest difficulty of making a motor really small and powerful is heat dissipation. With a car the motor can't be cooled in that way (at least not at low speeds and not as easily), so I imagine the design is a bit different. Incidentally that is why they don't make wet & dry vacuums - in those the air can't go through the motor so it can't cool it.

retSava 9y ago
Aha, I always figured that was primarily due to the risk of mold and unwanted organic events in the dust compartment. It's interesting, air and cooling. I read that a problem that might occur if you are changing to wider tires on the car, or lowering the suspension, is that brakes will more easily overheat and thus warp.