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Is there any reason a combustion engine couldn't power the electric motors directly? This would seriously simplify the overall complexity of the car. Yes you'd
by Incipient 3y ago
Is there any reason a combustion engine couldn't power the electric motors directly? This would seriously simplify the overall complexity of the car.
Yes you'd need a larger electric motor, but that feels like it should be less expensive than all of the traditional drivetrain components?
- KevinMS 3y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel%E2%80%93electric_powertrain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel%E2%80%93electric_powert... no idea if any cars use it. probably not since regenerative braking is one of EV's selling points. I think if you add a small battery to recycle braking energy you get a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Series_hybrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle_drivetrain#Seri... which is pretty rare for some reason https://www.greencarcongress.com/2023/01/20220114-mazda.html https://www.greencarcongress.com/2023/01/20220114-mazda.html
- Incipient 3y agoOh I meant on a PHEV, so there would be a small battery to also drive the motor. But yeah it's your comment of "pretty rare for some reason" that made me think it was possibly not viable?
- KevinMS 3y agoI think when the engine, in some circumstances, can bypass all the EV stuff and directly drive the transmission (parallel ev system) its more efficient (maybe that happens under heavy load, like highway driving, or accelerating). It uses a mechanism I think is called something like a power split device. The serial ev system, which is basically a tesla with a portable gas generator in the trunk, is less efficient because the engine power always goes through the electric motor, rather than sometimes directly driving the transmission.