5 ms·

A really good way to generate lots of torque from a stop is an electric motor. You could use a combination of gasoline motors at speed with electric to start to

A really good way to generate lots of torque from a stop is an electric motor. You could use a combination of gasoline motors at speed with electric to start to get this same combination.

earleybird 5y ago
As demonstrated by the Koenigsegg Gemera and its use of electric motors and an ICE. [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W39yEt4R-SU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W39yEt4R-SU
2143 5y ago
Sure I agree electric engines produce even more torque. Just give it a few years for the whole thing to be economically viable and for them to convert their diesel trucks to EV trucks.
- User23 5y ago
  Hence diesel-electric locomotives. Those things produce serious torque. I wonder if that technology could be usefully adapted to commercial trucks.
  - seanmcdirmid 5y ago
    Diesel electric locomotives have a much worse idling problem than diesel ICE vehicles, you can’t just shut the turbine down without consequences, especially in winter, so they just idle for hours. See for example https://www.saferail.ca/blog/2019/7/3/idling-of-diesel-engines-rail-and-reason-the-dumbing-down-of-smartstart https://www.saferail.ca/blog/2019/7/3/idling-of-diesel-engin...
    - 2143 5y ago
      Yes. I know for a fact that diesel locomotives of trains are kept running even if its next trip is hours later. I don't know the underlying reason for that though. I always assumed it was some combination of using too much fuel for starting (more than what it would consume if it was just idling) and the starting itself being a complicated process. But I could be wrong. But then, for trains there exists fully electric locomotives, so this looks like a solved problem in that industry. All that's left to be done is phase out the diesels (apart from electrifying the tracks itself).
      - seanmcdirmid 5y ago
        Ya, if we would just electrify our rails like they do in Europe, the problem would be solved. Battery is also an option, though it seems only viable for auxiliary locomotives (the ones that push carriages together in yards) for now.
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    Diesel electric is only used in locomotives (and some big mining equipment) because the realities of the "get the power from the engine to the wheels" problem makes it work well in those use cases. Directly transmitting the energy without converting into electricity and back is more efficient until you start talking about absurd levels of gearbox and input/output speed discrepancies and whatnot. If the double conversion was more efficient we'd see electric drivetrains in far more places.

A really good way to generate lots of torque from a stop is an electric motor. You could use a combination of gasoline motors at speed with electric to start to get this same combination.

earleybird 5y ago

As demonstrated by the Koenigsegg Gemera and its use of electric motors and an ICE. [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W39yEt4R-SU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W39yEt4R-SU

2143 5y ago

Sure I agree electric engines produce even more torque. Just give it a few years for the whole thing to be economically viable and for them to convert their diesel trucks to EV trucks.

User23 5y ago
Hence diesel-electric locomotives. Those things produce serious torque. I wonder if that technology could be usefully adapted to commercial trucks.
- seanmcdirmid 5y ago
  Diesel electric locomotives have a much worse idling problem than diesel ICE vehicles, you can’t just shut the turbine down without consequences, especially in winter, so they just idle for hours. See for example https://www.saferail.ca/blog/2019/7/3/idling-of-diesel-engines-rail-and-reason-the-dumbing-down-of-smartstart https://www.saferail.ca/blog/2019/7/3/idling-of-diesel-engin...
  - 2143 5y ago
    Yes. I know for a fact that diesel locomotives of trains are kept running even if its next trip is hours later. I don't know the underlying reason for that though. I always assumed it was some combination of using too much fuel for starting (more than what it would consume if it was just idling) and the starting itself being a complicated process. But I could be wrong. But then, for trains there exists fully electric locomotives, so this looks like a solved problem in that industry. All that's left to be done is phase out the diesels (apart from electrifying the tracks itself).
    - seanmcdirmid 5y ago
      Ya, if we would just electrify our rails like they do in Europe, the problem would be solved. Battery is also an option, though it seems only viable for auxiliary locomotives (the ones that push carriages together in yards) for now.
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  Diesel electric is only used in locomotives (and some big mining equipment) because the realities of the "get the power from the engine to the wheels" problem makes it work well in those use cases. Directly transmitting the energy without converting into electricity and back is more efficient until you start talking about absurd levels of gearbox and input/output speed discrepancies and whatnot. If the double conversion was more efficient we'd see electric drivetrains in far more places.