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The problem with doing that in the purest sense is that mechanically connecting the engine to the wheels is always more efficient than turning a dynamo, then ru
by pkulak 3y ago
The problem with doing that in the purest sense is that mechanically connecting the engine to the wheels is always more efficient than turning a dynamo, then running the power through an inverter and a motor. Honda and Mitsubishi actually do pretty much what you're saying, but they both couple the engine to the front wheels at high speed. And at low speed, the efficiency in hybrid mode is not that great. It is a very simple, elegant design though, so I'm still fond of it.
- usrusr 3y agoI agree that the path from engine mechanical output to wheels certainly seems less efficient. We might be wrong about that, underestimating the losses in gear sets, but that's not my point and I also suspect that in that case we would hear more about gear set cooling solutions/issues. But the path from fuel to engine output can be made far more efficient by designing the engine for a very narrow band of usage conditions instead of the crazy wide range from cruising at near idle to showing off what you paid extra for. Diesel trains have been diesel-electric for almost a century.