Electric Cars PrimerHybrids, plug-ins, and extended-range electric cars are hitting the market. Use this interactive primer to learn how they work. By Kevin Bullis
Hybrids such as Toyota's Prius have become a common sight. Now major automakers are proposing a next generation of hybrids that can be plugged in to extend their electric range and vastly improve fuel economy. This interactive graphic shows how conventional hybrids work, as well as how two versions of these proposed plug-in hybrids, one labeled "Plug-in Hybrid" and the other "Extended-Range Electric," work. Each of these plug-in hybrids operates differently when the battery is charged versus when it is largely depleted. Click on one of the five buttons above to view animations of how the vehicles operate under different driving conditions. Each vehicle operates during a stylized drive cycle, starting at low speeds, accelerating to highway speeds, and then decelerating to a stop. If at any time you'd like to pause the animation or select a different part of the drive cycle, click on the appropriate section of the graph at the bottom right of the graphic. The first type of plug-in hybrid, labeled "Plug-in Hybrid," is basically a conventional hybrid vehicle with a larger battery pack. Companies such as Toyota and Ford are developing hybrids of this type. For heavy acceleration and high speed, these vehicles rely on power from both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. But a larger battery pack in plug-in hybrids allows them to rely much more on electricity than conventional hybrids do. "Extended-Range Electric" vehicles represent a radical departure from conventional hybrids. Whereas in conventional hybrids, the wheels are turned by an electric motor, a gasoline engine, or both, the wheels in these new cars will be turned only by a large electric motor. For short trips, the motor will run on battery power alone. For longer trips, a gasoline-powered generator kicks in to supply electricity. Interactive graphic by Alastair Halliday |
E-mail
Audio »
Print
Favorite
Share »
Digg this
Add to del.icio.us
Add to Reddit
Add to Facebook
Slashdot It!
Stumble It!
Add to Newsvine
Add to Connotea
Add to CiteUlike
Add to Furl
Googlize this
Add to Rojo
Add to MyWeb
A Startup's Electric Sedan May Be First on the Road
06/19/2009
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
killian
04/22/2008
Posts:70
Kevin Bullis
04/30/2008
Posts:92
petty
01/21/2009
Posts:2
A small train-like solution can be powered by using a front ended train engine and operator compartment, and a back-end large battery - rear facing safety monitor compartment that could be rigged to pull large trains of small personal cube-like cars that are either rail based or suspended above the pull car track like amusement ride rollercoasters.
By using batteries as the power source and arranging them in series for more power and distance, it's quite possible to get much higher commuter mileage out of them. A dual use system could provide the advantage that bigger trains pulling goods like big-rigs do today could lead to reducing congestion and lowering operational costs for everyone.
It would be quiet, very smooth riding and probably darn energy efficient to run. Retrofitting roads for the tracks would be the expensive part, and best of all - these jobs can't be off-shored!
Besides - the costs for new Hybrids will be beyond most normal wage earners reach, and mass transit will be the most likely candidate for future commuters and generations.
mkogrady
04/25/2008
Posts:202
The lead-acid battery is last century's tech. The Roadster uses 6831 little LiIon batteries arranged in 12 modules. Recharges in, e.g., 3-4 hrs on a 240V/70A line.
Brian H
04/26/2008
Posts:28
Kevin Bullis
04/30/2008
Posts:92
Click on the "motor" button, here:
http://www.teslamotors.com/design/under_the_skin.php
Brian H
06/02/2008
Posts:28
sdmaley
11/15/2008
Posts:1
Hybrid garbage trucks and delivery trucks are also a good idea.
Kevin Bullis
04/30/2008
Posts:92
Mass transit operators would have the advantage of having optimized charging feeds (high amperage), not accessible to private non-fleet vehicles.
Brian H
06/02/2008
Posts:28
Plataputylus
05/05/2008
Posts:7
See the video here:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/07/12/video-bob-lutz-expounds-on-diesel-in-america/
He claims EPA standards are so tight, and that gas ICE efficiency is coming on so fast that it makes since for at least the Volt to stay gas. Take it or leave it.
mheslep
05/09/2008
Posts:1
energymv@gma...
05/15/2008
Posts:5
Our new energy world is right around the next corner!
Vinny111
05/18/2008
Posts:1
I was hoping to see a demo off some of the new technologies to control acceleration, deacceleration, charging etc. that with new batterytypes are extending the range of electric cars to more than 130 km on a single charge - more than enough for most dayly commutes.
Project better place is about such cars, and I hope to be driving such a car in about 3 years..
nielsoe
05/26/2008
Posts:1
surpassspace
06/20/2008
Posts:1
the energey maybe come from sun
teddy
06/23/2008
Posts:1
rafael7
09/30/2008
Posts:11
Internal combustion engine is reciprocating, it is least efficient.
Yet it needs explosion in every interval shorter than eyes blink, so it needs volatile, pure volatile, so it is costly, energy intensive to refine.
Yet is exploded at so high temperature, caused nitrogen to explode.
The key is to change from reciprocating ICE to rotating turbo-electric generator to sustain longer distance, heavier load.
Turbo can burn on lower grade fuel with more complete combustion, but need steam boilers, too bulky.
So you need "Direct Thermal Transport" to burn even the lowest grade of combustibles to attain high speed,highly directional exhaust to drive miniature turbine.
Read "Energy Solvere"
Money cannot save General Motors
This can
Solvere Lim Swee Keng
SM(MIT), MBA(Law)
Engineer, Inventor, Economist with Philosophical Depth
CtS Cognoscere tenuse Solvere
Cognize before Happening
Solving beyond Root Causes
Solvere
11/25/2008
Posts:6
MickeyFouse
02/17/2009
Posts:47
docscience
03/18/2009
Posts:1
mangesh
11/18/2009
Posts:1