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Nowadays hybrids are smarter. Combustion engine is used to charge batteries and provide power to the electric motor, it's more efficient way of using energy fro

by Gonzih 13y ago

Nowadays hybrids are smarter. Combustion engine is used to charge batteries and provide power to the electric motor, it's more efficient way of using energy from gasoline. Using combustion with electric motor stands out to be much less efficient.

Wingman4l7 13y ago
AFAIK we're still not doing it right. The best way is to make the electric motor the main motor, and having the gasoline engine be small and tuned to run at a consistent peak efficiency RPM, and only used to charge the batteries. This was figured out in 1979! http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-transportation/electric-car-conversion-zmaz79jazraw.aspx http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-transportation/electric... (see the diagram in the fourth image).
- Gonzih 13y ago
  Yes, that is exactly what I meant. There are already some cars that do it almost properly. http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/ http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Mobile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Mobile Btw Yo-Mobile is interesting since they are using rotary engine to do power generation.
  - stonemetal 13y ago
    Thanks for the fisker link. I saw one on the road the other day but forgot to look it up later. They are as pretty as Teslas.
maxerickson 13y ago
That isn't true, most hybrids still have a mechanical connection between the combustion engine and the drive wheels. That is, the Prius, Ford hybrids, GM hybrids, I'm sure others.
- Gonzih 13y ago
  Agree, Prius and others aren't actually efficient in terms of fuel usage. And they aren't "green".
  - mavhc 13y ago
    They're more efficient than the same sized non hybrid car. And define "green"
    - Gonzih 13y ago
      It's not about what engine size do you have, it's all about engine efficiency and how you drive. Small car can be efficient without any fancy hybrid technologies, big engine can be efficient with smart engineering.
- chiph 13y ago
  AFAIK, the Chevrolet Volt (and Opel clone, etc) is the only one where the engine just charges the batteries, and the drive wheels are run by the electric motor alone. From a technical standpoint, it's a good design for a hybrid - you can optimize each part of the system separately. But GM didn't quite get the car as a whole correct -- it has some ergonomic problems, priced higher than the value (perceived and actual) the customer got, and so on.
  - stevehawk 13y ago
    ^ - this. Volt fires up gas motor to optimum efficiency point to serve as a generator for the electric motor, which is the only motor connected to the drivetrain
    - schiffern 13y ago
      >the electric motor… is the only motor connected to the drivetrain This is a common misconception. The Volt will drive the wheels directly from the gasoline engine when driving at high speed (>70 mph). http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/10/the-great-chevy-volt-hybrid-mishap-explained.html http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/10/the-great-chevy-v...

by Gonzih 13y ago

Wingman4l7 13y ago

AFAIK we're still not doing it right. The best way is to make the electric motor the main motor, and having the gasoline engine be small and tuned to run at a consistent peak efficiency RPM, and only used to charge the batteries. This was figured out in 1979! http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-transportation/electric-car-conversion-zmaz79jazraw.aspx http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-transportation/electric... (see the diagram in the fourth image).

Gonzih 13y ago
Yes, that is exactly what I meant. There are already some cars that do it almost properly. http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/ http://www.fiskerautomotive.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Mobile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Mobile Btw Yo-Mobile is interesting since they are using rotary engine to do power generation.
- stonemetal 13y ago
  Thanks for the fisker link. I saw one on the road the other day but forgot to look it up later. They are as pretty as Teslas.

maxerickson 13y ago

That isn't true, most hybrids still have a mechanical connection between the combustion engine and the drive wheels. That is, the Prius, Ford hybrids, GM hybrids, I'm sure others.

Gonzih 13y ago
Agree, Prius and others aren't actually efficient in terms of fuel usage. And they aren't "green".
- mavhc 13y ago
  They're more efficient than the same sized non hybrid car. And define "green"
  - Gonzih 13y ago
    It's not about what engine size do you have, it's all about engine efficiency and how you drive. Small car can be efficient without any fancy hybrid technologies, big engine can be efficient with smart engineering.
chiph 13y ago
AFAIK, the Chevrolet Volt (and Opel clone, etc) is the only one where the engine just charges the batteries, and the drive wheels are run by the electric motor alone. From a technical standpoint, it's a good design for a hybrid - you can optimize each part of the system separately. But GM didn't quite get the car as a whole correct -- it has some ergonomic problems, priced higher than the value (perceived and actual) the customer got, and so on.
- stevehawk 13y ago
  ^ - this. Volt fires up gas motor to optimum efficiency point to serve as a generator for the electric motor, which is the only motor connected to the drivetrain
  - schiffern 13y ago
    >the electric motor… is the only motor connected to the drivetrain This is a common misconception. The Volt will drive the wheels directly from the gasoline engine when driving at high speed (>70 mph). http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/10/the-great-chevy-volt-hybrid-mishap-explained.html http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/10/the-great-chevy-v...