Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

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RooseveltG
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Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by RooseveltG »

I live in an older condo with only 1 charging station for 150 units. I have considered buying an e-hybrid but am wondering if the battery will charge without ever plugging into a charging station. Is a gasoline engine up to the task of charging the battery 100% of the time?

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Roosevelt.
TravelGeek
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by TravelGeek »

A plug-in hybrid?

No personal experience, but I would consider that the size of the battery (that you pay for) is designed to be used with a grid charger. While regenerative braking should charge the battery, I don’t know that it would ever generate enough to fill the battery. You will constantly charge and then used the battery as you are driving and braking.

The main benefit of having a plug-in hybrid (vs a regular hybrid with a much smaller battery) is that you have a fully charged battery in the morning when you leave for work that gets you X (say 20) miles of pure EV driving. Many owners only need the ICE engine when driving longer distances.

So I would probably not go that route and instead would look at a non-plug-in hybrid.
hicabob
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by hicabob »

Yes it will work. A non-plugin hybrid would probably be the more economical choice though. The plug-ins do get car pool privileges some places though which can be huge..
Last edited by hicabob on Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
crefwatch
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by crefwatch »

You will get the best answer if you give a specific brand and model. (I owned two successive Toyota Priuses.) Alternatively, you need to explain whether the car/cars you are considering have a gasoline engine. (All Priuses, plug in and not-plug in have gasoline engines, just as an example.) AFAIK, all hybrid cars sold in the US have (current definition of "hybrid") unlimited range as long as the gas tank gets refilled when it is empty. Their "green"-ness can vary with how you drive them, the terrain, the temperature, and so on. But they generally recharge the batter anytime the engine is running and the battery is not full. They also recharge when you brake gently or are coasting downhill.
mpnret
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by mpnret »

The consensus on a Toyota forum I was on was that a Prius Prime (plug in hybrid) did make sense even if you never intended to plug it in. Sorry I don't have the details. You would have to hit up some Toyota forums for that. Depending on where you are located that plug can get you some advantages over a non-plug hybrid. (Tax rebate, sales tax, carpool lane, tolls, etc)
Last edited by mpnret on Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
hunoraut
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by hunoraut »

RooseveltG wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:55 am I live in an older condo with only 1 charging station for 150 units. I have considered buying an e-hybrid but am wondering if the battery will charge without ever plugging into a charging station. Is a gasoline engine up to the task of charging the battery 100% of the time?

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Roosevelt.

yes the car will operate. it will operate as normal, as if the battery is depleted on a long drive.

no the gasoline engine will not charge the battery for the electric motor. it does not make sense to drive some generator to convert charge the battery. waste of energy.

the battery will likely charge (minimally) through regenerative braking. but not enough to matter.

if you don't have access to regular charging, it does not make sense to me to add the extra weight and cost and complication of a battery-driven motor.
cadreamer2015
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by cadreamer2015 »

I have considered buying an e-hybrid but am wondering if the battery will charge without ever plugging into a charging station. Is a gasoline engine up to the task of charging the battery 100% of the time?
The battery in a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will charge a little during regenerative braking. You can also charge it a public charge points. Some PHEVs have a setting that can use your gasoline engine to charge the PHEV battery, but as others have said it is quite uneconomical to use your gasoline engine in this way.

You are paying a good deal more to get the larger battery in a PHEV. If you can never charge it at home it is probably not worth the extra cost. Just get a regular hybrid, which will get better gas mileage (in general) than a purely internal combustion engine driven car.
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MathWizard
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by MathWizard »

hunoraut wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:45 am
RooseveltG wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:55 am I live in an older condo with only 1 charging station for 150 units. I have considered buying an e-hybrid but am wondering if the battery will charge without ever plugging into a charging station. Is a gasoline engine up to the task of charging the battery 100% of the time?

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Roosevelt.

yes the car will operate. it will operate as normal, as if the battery is depleted on a long drive.

no the gasoline engine will not charge the battery for the electric motor. it does not make sense to drive some generator to convert charge the battery. waste of energy.

the battery will likely charge (minimally) through regenerative braking. but not enough to matter.
...
You are correct that the car will run, which was the question.

I believe that you are incorrect about the gas engine not charging the drive battery.
A plugin hybrid will work just like a non-plugin hybrid, recharging the drive battery when it gets low.

If it did not, you would not have the benefit of using a smaller and more efficient style of gasoline motor, because the electric motor can supply the low-end torque so the gas engine can have a different power curve. This is why ordinary hybrids get good mileage.

What you are describing would have poor performance when the battery is depleted (usually in about 40 miles) and would have mileage similar to that of a regular ICE car.

The only thing that the plugin does is to use power from the grid rather than gasoline to ensure that the battery can be full of charge when you leave in the morning.

Edit: From Toyota for the Prius Prime:
https://www.toyota.com/priusprime/faq/
Can Prius Prime charge itself?
Prius Prime must be plugged in to fully recharge the battery. The vehicle can also partially charge itself with onboard charging, as well as with a regenerative braking system that works during deceleration. When braking, it uses kinetic energy from the front wheels to produce electricity that partially recharges the battery and helps extend your range.
So the drive battery will charge while driving using onboard charging, but not fully.
Last edited by MathWizard on Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
mpnret
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by mpnret »

hunoraut wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:45 am
RooseveltG wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:55 am I live in an older condo with only 1 charging station for 150 units. I have considered buying an e-hybrid but am wondering if the battery will charge without ever plugging into a charging station. Is a gasoline engine up to the task of charging the battery 100% of the time?

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Roosevelt.

yes the car will operate. it will operate as normal, as if the battery is depleted on a long drive.

no the gasoline engine will not charge the battery for the electric motor. it does not make sense to drive some generator to convert charge the battery. waste of energy.

the battery will likely charge (minimally) through regenerative braking. but not enough to matter.

if you don't have access to regular charging, it does not make sense to me to add the extra weight and cost and complication of a battery-driven motor.
The Toyota system will charge the battery with energy from the gas engine. I assume they are all like that but not sure.
tfunk
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by tfunk »

We have a 2019 Prius Prime Plug in Hybrid. The hybrid battery and the electric drive battery are separate systems in the car. In other words, it drives like a regular gas/electric hybrid if you never plug it in. When you charge with the plug in you will get about 27 miles of electric only power. The regeneration of the brakes is mainly to charge up the hybrid portion of the system. ( You will get some regeneration of the drive battery when you are actually on the electric drive but that goes away after the battery is depleted and the system automatically switches over to hybrid mode - this is how we end up with 27 miles on electric only)

We also live in an apartment and almost never charge up other than to maintain the system. Some shopping areas have free charging but many others that are paid end up costing as much or more that the gasoline cost for the 27 miles (a little over 1/2 gallon equivalent)

We bought it mainly to get a car pool sticker here in CA. The sticker is good for three years. The other reason is there was a large Federal and State rebate that took the cost of the car almost down to the price of the regular Prius hybrid. I think about $6,000 total. Not sure if it would have been worth it without the rebate.
02nz
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by 02nz »

A traditional hybrid (like the regular Prius) has no ability to charge via a plug. A plug-in hybird (like the Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime) can be charged by plugging in. They have larger batteries that allow them to go 20-50 miles (depending on the model) on electric power alone.

A plug-in hybrid does NOT have to be plugged in, ever, it will work just fine on gas alone (and still get the advantage of hybrid efficiency). But if you cannot plug in regularly, a conventional hybrid generally makes more sense. However, in some cases incentives make the plug-in hybrid cheaper, despite a higher selling price.
toast0
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by toast0 »

Adding on to others. I have a Ford C-max Energi plug-in hybrid. It qualified for CA carpool stickers, which works without using a charger. I did charge it at work, and will charge it out and about when it's free, but I only charge it at home for 30 minutes a month (I exercise a portable generator and want it to do something other than idle).

I would imagine other vehicles may have slightly different charging systems, but the C-Max switches battery gauges between a plug-in mode which shows miles to empty and a regular hybrid mode unlabeled gauge that looks like a fuel gauge depending on how much charge there is. If I recall correctly, it switches into regular mode when there's less than 1 mile of electricity left. When the gauge is in plug-in mode, you can control if it uses primarily electric (EV only), primarily gas (EV later), or a normal mix (Auto); when it's in the regular hybrid, it runs in auto mode only. In regular hybrid auto mode, the engine will come on to move the car at higher speeds, and to charge the battery when it's in the lower third of the gauge, and to heat the interior sometimes (and just like whenever it feels like); if the engine is on to charge the battery it will turn off around 2/3rds of the way up the regular gauge, I've never seen it run long enough to get you into the plug-in mode. Regenerative braking will also charge the battery; gentle braking going down the ~ 300 ft hill I live on will usually move it into plug-in mode, and show 1-3 miles of range (full is 20-23 mi).

On my car, the regular hybrid model has a small storage hatch, with the floor level with the opening; the plug-in hybrid uses that space for more batteries, so the storage floor is about 18 inches higher and there's significantly less space; also the 12v battery is wedged under there and it's an extra pain to get out. I don't know if other manufacturers are better at finding room for the extra batteries.
onourway
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by onourway »

Agree you'd get better info if you posted specific makes/models you are considering, but generally, while it would not make sense to pay extra for a plug in if you won't use that capability, if incentives make it economical there's no reason not to buy it if you otherwise want the vehicle.

With the plug-in hybrid we had a few years ago, when not charged it acted exactly like a regular hybrid with a larger regenerative power store. Most of the time this makes no difference, however if you travel routes with significant elevation change I was able, at times, to fully charge the battery through regenerative braking, greatly improving mileage for that kind of trip.
chemocean
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by chemocean »

We only have a 115-V system with a EVplug with a long cord with a transformer near the 115 V plug. It takes about 19 hours to charge our 17.4 KwH battery. At your condo, is there a receptacle in a garage (run the cord under the garage door) or outside protected from the weather near a parking space where you can charge. The receptacle and the transformer for this system need to be protected from the weather.
tj
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by tj »

I wonder the same thing. I live somewhere with street parking only, and whenever society opens up again, I might have to do more driving with my job.

I'm curious about the Kia Niro PHEV - I can get the CVAP, CVRP, CCFR, carpool lane sticker, and some amount of federal tax credit, it seems like the PHEV would be a lot cheaper than just a regular hybrid.

Edit: Apparently the CVRP is no longer going to work:
Effective April 6, 2021, the AER requirement for eligible Light-Duty Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will be increased to 30 miles EPA (45 miles UDDS). All applications received on or after April 6, 2021 will only be eligible for a rebate if the vehicle is on the updated eligible vehicle list at the time of application. The following vehicles are NO LONGER ELIGIBLE beginning April 6, 2021:
Ford Fusion Energi
Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid
Hyundai Ioniq PHEV
Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid
Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid
Toyota Prius Prime
squirm
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by squirm »

Some cars like the clarity only will charge the battery to 50% from the engine due to inefficientcies after that.

Outside of that, you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev.
chemocean
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by chemocean »

squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:21 am Outside of that, you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev.
I disagree with the statement that a Level 2 is needed. It depends on your driving habits.
Prior to buying a EV, I logged our daily miles and included the time of the day that the travel was conducted for two months. Based on the mileage and the time between travel, we calculated the size of the battery we would need for each type of charger.
We ended up with a Volt with a 17.5 KwH battery and a 115 volt charger that comes with the car plugged into a 15 amp existing receptacle. We charged at 8 amp. In the three years we had the car in retirement, but active volunteers, we put less than 60 gas miles on the car of total 20,000 miles. In fact, last month we were forced to drive on gas so to use up the old gas that had been sitting in the tank for about a year during Covid. Every month we are also forced to run on gas for about 15 miles for engine maintenance, to move the engine fluid around and lube the engine. We mostly charge in the garage, but temporarily we are charging in the driveway with the charger plugged into a garage outlet (transfer not outside) and the cord running under the garage door after replacing the bottom garage door flexible seal.
squirm
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by squirm »

chemocean wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:42 am
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:21 am Outside of that, you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev.
I disagree with the statement that a Level 2 is needed. It depends on your driving habits.
Prior to buying a EV, I logged our daily miles and included the time of the day that the travel was conducted for two months. Based on the mileage and the time between travel, we calculated the size of the battery we would need for each type of charger.
We ended up with a Volt with a 17.5 KwH battery and a 115 volt charger that comes with the car plugged into a 15 amp existing receptacle. We charged at 8 amp. In the three years we had the car in retirement, but active volunteers, we put less than 60 gas miles on the car of total 20,000 miles. In fact, last month we were forced to drive on gas so to use up the old gas that had been sitting in the tank for about a year during Covid. Every month we are also forced to run on gas for about 15 miles for engine maintenance, to move the engine fluid around and lube the engine. We mostly charge in the garage, but temporarily we are charging in the driveway with the charger plugged into a garage outlet (transfer not outside) and the cord running under the garage door after replacing the bottom garage door flexible seal.
Well, it all depends. We drive 40k miles/ year. If we didn't have a l2 charger, the EV would be useless. Anyways, I didn't say an l2 is needed, I said to get the most out of electric driving. Constantly topping off the battery is getting the most out of electric miles.
bloom2708
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by bloom2708 »

We have a Ford Fusion Energi (plug in).

The hybrid (battery 2) battery will charge/discharge while driving.

The primary all electric battery (battery 1) will not charge while driving. That requires being plugged in.

You can never charge the primary all electric battery and the car functions just like a hybrid car.

I can't speak if all plug in hybrids function like this. Our previous car was a Ford C-Max Energi. Both have been fantastic cars.
joebruin77
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by joebruin77 »

If you can park your car in the sun, the Aptera Roadster might be an option in the not-so-distant future:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3487 ... -revealed/

I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
mpnret
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by mpnret »

squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:05 am
chemocean wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:42 am
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:21 am Outside of that, you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev.
I disagree with the statement that a Level 2 is needed. It depends on your driving habits.
Prior to buying a EV, I logged our daily miles and included the time of the day that the travel was conducted for two months. Based on the mileage and the time between travel, we calculated the size of the battery we would need for each type of charger.
We ended up with a Volt with a 17.5 KwH battery and a 115 volt charger that comes with the car plugged into a 15 amp existing receptacle. We charged at 8 amp. In the three years we had the car in retirement, but active volunteers, we put less than 60 gas miles on the car of total 20,000 miles. In fact, last month we were forced to drive on gas so to use up the old gas that had been sitting in the tank for about a year during Covid. Every month we are also forced to run on gas for about 15 miles for engine maintenance, to move the engine fluid around and lube the engine. We mostly charge in the garage, but temporarily we are charging in the driveway with the charger plugged into a garage outlet (transfer not outside) and the cord running under the garage door after replacing the bottom garage door flexible seal.
Well, it all depends. We drive 40k miles/ year. If we didn't have a l2 charger, the EV would be useless. Anyways, I didn't say an l2 is needed, I said to get the most out of electric driving. Constantly topping off the battery is getting the most out of electric miles.
I have a Tesla, so I can assure you I am getting the most out of electric driving being that is all I have. No need for L2 charging. I top off every night using a 120v outlet in my garage.
squirm
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by squirm »

mpnret wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:56 am
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:05 am
chemocean wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:42 am
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:21 am Outside of that, you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev.
I disagree with the statement that a Level 2 is needed. It depends on your driving habits.
Prior to buying a EV, I logged our daily miles and included the time of the day that the travel was conducted for two months. Based on the mileage and the time between travel, we calculated the size of the battery we would need for each type of charger.
We ended up with a Volt with a 17.5 KwH battery and a 115 volt charger that comes with the car plugged into a 15 amp existing receptacle. We charged at 8 amp. In the three years we had the car in retirement, but active volunteers, we put less than 60 gas miles on the car of total 20,000 miles. In fact, last month we were forced to drive on gas so to use up the old gas that had been sitting in the tank for about a year during Covid. Every month we are also forced to run on gas for about 15 miles for engine maintenance, to move the engine fluid around and lube the engine. We mostly charge in the garage, but temporarily we are charging in the driveway with the charger plugged into a garage outlet (transfer not outside) and the cord running under the garage door after replacing the bottom garage door flexible seal.
Well, it all depends. We drive 40k miles/ year. If we didn't have a l2 charger, the EV would be useless. Anyways, I didn't say an l2 is needed, I said to get the most out of electric driving. Constantly topping off the battery is getting the most out of electric miles.
I have a Tesla, so I can assure you I am getting the most out of electric driving being that is all I have. No need for L2 charging. I top off every night using a 120v outlet in my garage.
I was referring to a phev.
TravelGeek
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by TravelGeek »

squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:08 pm
I was referring to a phev.
A PHEV is probably less likely to need a L2 charger to get the most out of it since the battery is smaller.

Clearly everyone should install a DC fast charger in their garage, just in case :twisted:
TravelGeek
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by TravelGeek »

joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:25 am
I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
I find it difficult to believe that a roadster would have enough roof surface to generate enough kWH in a day to drive 40 miles.

My LEAF needs roughly 10 kWh for that distance. Unless that vehicle has solar panels that are vastly more efficient than the ones on our roof, it’s not going to work (and certainly not consistently... but I guess that’s already conceded by “up to”).
squirm
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by squirm »

TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:12 pm
squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:08 pm
I was referring to a phev.
A PHEV is probably less likely to need a L2 charger to get the most out of it since the battery is smaller.

Clearly everyone should install a DC fast charger in their garage, just in case :twisted:
We easily blow through the battery capacity in a single errand. So an l2 makes sense and works well.
I guess if you're retired and can wait till it charges overnight to do the next errand, fine charge with 110.
squirm
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by squirm »

TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:19 pm
joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:25 am
I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
I find it difficult to believe that a roadster would have enough roof surface to generate enough kWH in a day to drive 40 miles.

My LEAF needs roughly 10 kWh for that distance. Unless that vehicle has solar panels that are vastly more efficient than the ones on our roof, it’s not going to work (and certainly not consistently... but I guess that’s already conceded by “up to”).
We have twenty panels and at most will produce 35kwh. Using a ev roof to charge the batteries is a pipe dream.
TravelGeek
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by TravelGeek »

squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:20 pm
We easily blow through the battery capacity in a single errand. So an l2 makes sense and works well.
I guess if you're retired and can wait till it charges overnight to do the next errand, fine charge with 110.
Everyone has different needs. That why chemocean’s analysis is correct and statements like “you really need a level 2 charger to get the most out of an ev” are over-simplifying at best.
wander
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by wander »

squirm wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:23 pm
TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:19 pm
joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:25 am
I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
I find it difficult to believe that a roadster would have enough roof surface to generate enough kWH in a day to drive 40 miles.

My LEAF needs roughly 10 kWh for that distance. Unless that vehicle has solar panels that are vastly more efficient than the ones on our roof, it’s not going to work (and certainly not consistently... but I guess that’s already conceded by “up to”).
We have twenty panels and at most will produce 35kwh. Using a ev roof to charge the batteries is a pipe dream.
When you talked about 35kwh, did you mean battery bank size? I mean 35kwh takes a lot of panels. 200W solar panel on Amazon is already large with dimension 35.6 in x 25.9 in.
joebruin77
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by joebruin77 »

TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:19 pm
joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:25 am
I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
I find it difficult to believe that a roadster would have enough roof surface to generate enough kWH in a day to drive 40 miles.

My LEAF needs roughly 10 kWh for that distance. Unless that vehicle has solar panels that are vastly more efficient than the ones on our roof, it’s not going to work (and certainly not consistently... but I guess that’s already conceded by “up to”).
I understand your skepticism. I was too at first. But not only does Aptera use the latest in solar tech, it is the most efficient vehicle ever created, with a drag coefficient of .13.

Here is a quote from a recent article on Aptera from electrek.co:

"Since the Aptera is extremely efficient, the solar power that it will generate can actually make a difference.
The company offers the option to embed solar cells on the roof, hood, and back of the vehicle:

It believes that it can add between 16 and 40 miles of range per day, depending on the configuration.
Aptera calls it “Never Charge” technology.

Chris Anthony, Aptera cofounder, commented on the technology:
With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun. Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go. Never Charge is built into every Aptera and is designed to harvest enough sunlight to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions. The Aptera vehicle is made of lightweight composites that are many times stronger than steel, allowing its unique body shape to slip through the air with an unheard-of drag coefficient (Cd) of .13."
onourway
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

Post by onourway »

joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:23 pm
TravelGeek wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:19 pm
joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:25 am
I am half-joking, but also half-serious. The thought of a fully electric EV that can charge up to 40 miles a day from its solar panels is pretty intriguing.
I find it difficult to believe that a roadster would have enough roof surface to generate enough kWH in a day to drive 40 miles.

My LEAF needs roughly 10 kWh for that distance. Unless that vehicle has solar panels that are vastly more efficient than the ones on our roof, it’s not going to work (and certainly not consistently... but I guess that’s already conceded by “up to”).
I understand your skepticism. I was too at first. But not only does Aptera use the latest in solar tech, it is the most efficient vehicle ever created, with a drag coefficient of .13.

Here is a quote from a recent article on Aptera from electrek.co:

"Since the Aptera is extremely efficient, the solar power that it will generate can actually make a difference.
The company offers the option to embed solar cells on the roof, hood, and back of the vehicle:

It believes that it can add between 16 and 40 miles of range per day, depending on the configuration.
Aptera calls it “Never Charge” technology.

Chris Anthony, Aptera cofounder, commented on the technology:
With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun. Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go. Never Charge is built into every Aptera and is designed to harvest enough sunlight to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions. The Aptera vehicle is made of lightweight composites that are many times stronger than steel, allowing its unique body shape to slip through the air with an unheard-of drag coefficient (Cd) of .13."
I didn’t really need to check the article to confirm that this is more akin to a covered recumbent ebike than a car.
TravelGeek
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Re: Will an e-hybrid car work without a charger?

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joebruin77 wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:23 pm
It believes that it can add between 16 and 40 miles of range per day, depending on the configuration.
Aptera calls it “Never Charge” technology.

Chris Anthony, Aptera cofounder, commented on the technology:
With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun. Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go. Never Charge is built into every Aptera and is designed to harvest enough sunlight to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions. The Aptera vehicle is made of lightweight composites that are many times stronger than steel, allowing its unique body shape to slip through the air with an unheard-of drag coefficient (Cd) of .13."
I'll believe it when I see it :)

In the meantime, my LEAF is also 100% solar powered as long as I just charge at home (which is the case for probably 98% of the miles I have put on it so far).
onourway wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:47 pm
I didn’t really need to check the article to confirm that this is more akin to a covered recumbent ebike than a car.
Yeah, kind of like a solar-panel-wrapped Arcimoto

https://www.arcimoto.com/

I will admit it looks cool.
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