Chrysler Goes Electric

[BAD]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/26850309

The Dodge EV is teh sex(pictured below) 150 mile range and 0-60 in 5 seconds
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/02_chrysler_evs_sept.jpg
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/01_chrysler_evs_sept.jpg

[BAD]

Photo gallery locate here:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/chrysler-evs/1051788/

[DaRiNgDaKoTa]

that thing is crazy! o-60 in under 5 seconds for an electric car is unbelievable!

[WhyteChocolate]

it looks like a lotus and viper had sex....hot dirty sex. and popped out a future whore. I'd drive it. only thing I dont like is the crossfire style wing

[JCFDak01]

I'm liking the viper styling. Now that's a electric car worth driving, something efficient that still looks beastly.

[hskrRT]

I doubt you'll get the 150 mile range if you do a lot of 0-60 blasts. Electric motors are instant torque. Couple that with a gear reduction drive and they can accelerate a car really well. Most electric cars are built for efficiency as in longer range, and not speed.

[dakota02rt]

O shit! something new I am goin to have to work on. I work a Dodge Jeep Dealer.

[b2™]

I like it!

[Jasoon]

O shit! something new I am goin to have to work on. I work a Dodge Jeep Dealer.

:jester: LMFAO just thinking about it...:jester:


j/k sorry man. :D

[Alltornup]

Can't imagine the streets filled with Electric cars. Man it would be quiet. I'm all for it though:drive:

[Jasonb61]

Wow, I would go electric for that one...


nah, I'd rather convert my Dak :jester:

[Starscream]

Lord you have answered my prayers.

I've been toying with the thought of selling the R/T so I can focus more on the Dakota, but my main problem is I couldn't come to terms with buying outside Mopar, but I really didn't want a neon. This couldn't of came at a perfect time. I don't necessarly want the fast dodge EV it would be nice, but a Mopar with great fuel economy is all I really want hopefully they throw these in the Challenger. Sacralige maybe, but I still want to roll in style.

[dogthenine]

Finally someone is thinking about styling and not just function. But after 150 miles, how long will it take to recharge?

[KREWZER]

that is pretty sweet. I would definitely drive it.

[Five9Dak]

I want to drive the wrangler off road. Jeep 4wd and electric torque... yeah buddy!

[BAD]

Finally someone is thinking about styling and not just function. But after 150 miles, how long will it take to recharge?

4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120

[dogthenine]

4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120

That would make one long road trip, drive 2 hours, wait 8 hours!

[02roadtrack]

Here is a video link to it.
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Chrysler-Electric-Vehicle_186458.htm?Ref=Blog

[dogthenine]

Any idea what the price range may be?

[Road Dog]

You could probably get into the srt-8 of your choice for the same money as it stands now.

[DEEZNUTTS]

daddy like...daddy really like..

[Rob454]

i was gonna say it looks liek a viper and a lotus had sex. Kinda Neon-e looking. In case you guys didnt know electric cars are actually pretty quick cars. The nice thing is you replace the electric motor and you can instantly upgrade your HP rating. Youll drain the batteries faster but I bet eventually there will be tuner electric cars and trucks

[Mystake]

not only will we have rice rockets... they'll become rice cookers too

[threesixoh]

nice clean looking body. Anyone notice how narrow the front tires were?
Also, doesn't it look like it sits too high up off the ground for a sports car?
And what's the deal with those mirrors?
Imagine that thing with color matched headlights and tinted taillights. That baby is sexy!

[modain]

That would make one long road trip, drive 2 hours, wait 8 hours!

***4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120***

That's the big problem with electric cars as a primary transportation vehicle: they suck. Because of the refueling duration they are completely impractical for anything beyond short-range trips followed by plugging in for the night getting ready for the next day's commute to work, groceries, etc.

It takes me 5-10 minutes (depending on the pump flow) to fill my Dakota (400 miles) or Durango (360 miles). That's all I want to wait around before continuing my journey.

When will the tree huggers understand an all electric vehicle really isn't a solution to our transportation woes? The electricity has to consume some other energy form (oil, coal, uranium, running water, natural gas, etc.) for its production. That will most likely cause pollution, CO2, heat, etc. that must be "dealt" with as we already are today in our internal combustion engine automobiles. And for our microwave world, waiting hours to "refuel" our ride is not gonna cut it.

Cool yes, this car looks like it rocks. But all-in-all electrics aren't practical for much beyond toys or run-about rides. Just my $.02...

[hskrRT]

Most of the electric cars are designed for the "city" dwellers who will never use it to travel outside the city limits.

[DAKSPORT1PA]

it looks like a lotus and viper had sex....hot dirty sex. and popped out a future whore. I'd drive it. only thing I dont like is the crossfire style wing

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Rob454]

***4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120***



It takes me 5-10 minutes (depending on the pump flow) to fill my Dakota (400 miles) or Durango (360 miles). That's all I want to wait around before continuing my journey.

...

Im sure when Gas powered vehicles first came out they had the same problems liek electric cars have now. I wish I could look into the future about 20 years I bet there will be electric cars that will go for 800 miles on one charge and kick the s**t out of any sports car today

[brad81987]

***4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120***

That's the big problem with electric cars as a primary transportation vehicle: they suck. Because of the refueling duration they are completely impractical for anything beyond short-range trips followed by plugging in for the night getting ready for the next day's commute to work, groceries, etc.

It takes me 5-10 minutes (depending on the pump flow) to fill my Dakota (400 miles) or Durango (360 miles). That's all I want to wait around before continuing my journey.

When will the tree huggers understand an all electric vehicle really isn't a solution to our transportation woes? The electricity has to consume some other energy form (oil, coal, uranium, running water, natural gas, etc.) for its production. That will most likely cause pollution, CO2, heat, etc. that must be "dealt" with as we already are today in our internal combustion engine automobiles. And for our microwave world, waiting hours to "refuel" our ride is not gonna cut it.

Cool yes, this car looks like it rocks. But all-in-all electrics aren't practical for much beyond toys or run-about rides. Just my $.02...
Agreed, all-electric vehicles will never prevail. Are they good for the short distance commuter, sure, but not even an option for anyone who has to travel any large distance. I think series hybrids, like the Chevy Volt, are the answer. Ability to run all electric for short ranges, but still have a gas motor to turn a generator and give you electricity after the batteries are used. The nice thing about that is 1. You eliminate all drive train losses, especially if you use wheel hub motors. 2. the ICE used as the backup generator can be specifically designed for optimum charging efficiency vs having to be designed to provide a certain level of performance for a car. A small, high torque high efficiency diesel would be perfect.

[BAD]

Agreed, all-electric vehicles will never prevail. Are they good for the short distance commuter, sure, but not even an option for anyone who has to travel any large distance. I think series hybrids, like the Chevy Volt, are the answer. Ability to run all electric for short ranges, but still have a gas motor to turn a generator and give you electricity after the batteries are used. The nice thing about that is 1. You eliminate all drive train losses, especially if you use wheel hub motors. 2. the ICE used as the backup generator can be specifically designed for optimum charging efficiency vs having to be designed to provide a certain level of performance for a car. A small, high torque high efficiency diesel would be perfect.

Thats why they have the Jeep EV and the Chrysler EV they are gas/electic and have a range of around 400 miles on 8 gallons of gas

[JethroStyles]

I would love to have an all electric car for running around town.

Other than the stereo and A/C, there wouldn't be much draw sitting in traffic.

Move to Phoenix... Put a nice array of solar panels on the roof... Feed back into the grid during the day, and charge for 'free' at night.

Sweetness. Now if I could just do it resonably.

[dogthenine]

Why can't they make the tires run a generator; Using the wheel's momentum like a wind turbine to generate power to recharge the batteries as you drive?

[TazRango]

***4 hours on 220v 8 hours on 120***

That's the big problem with electric cars as a primary transportation vehicle: they suck. Because of the refueling duration they are completely impractical for anything beyond short-range trips followed by plugging in for the night getting ready for the next day's commute to work, groceries, etc.

It takes me 5-10 minutes (depending on the pump flow) to fill my Dakota (400 miles) or Durango (360 miles). That's all I want to wait around before continuing my journey.

When will the tree huggers understand an all electric vehicle really isn't a solution to our transportation woes? The electricity has to consume some other energy form (oil, coal, uranium, running water, natural gas, etc.) for its production. That will most likely cause pollution, CO2, heat, etc. that must be "dealt" with as we already are today in our internal combustion engine automobiles. And for our microwave world, waiting hours to "refuel" our ride is not gonna cut it.

Cool yes, this car looks like it rocks. But all-in-all electrics aren't practical for much beyond toys or run-about rides. Just my $.02...

I'll agree, 150 miles isn't all that much. But how much of your driving is to and from work, to and from the grocery store, shuttling the kids around, errands, etc, etc, etc. I'd be willing to bet it's more than 80%. Do you do more than 150 miles worth of driving a day? I don't think so. (of course if you drive for work you would, but that's not the point I'm getting at). And for the majority of us, it's mostly around town stop-and-go driving, which gives us the worst fuel economy. I burn through at least a full tank of gas a week. That's about 80 bucks at today's price. When we see $4 a gallon again it's $100. So let's use that. That's $5200 a year just in gas. Say this thing costs $52,000 (I know it's going to be more, but humor me), it would pay for itself in 10 years just in what you're not paying for gas alone (and that's at $4 a gallon - what's gas going to cost in 10 years? $8? $10? More? So as the price of gas goes through the roof, your return on investment comes faster and faster. Unlike a hybrid, which, because it uses mostly gas, would take a lot longer to repay the investment.

Couple that with state and federal incentives for using clean technology, and you have even more savings. Most states have programs that will almost completely pay for a whole-house solar power system. In New York, you can have up to a 5kW system installed, and your net cost after the federal and state tax rebates and state clean-energy cash rebate is about $600. Plus they have net metering laws, where you sell unused solar power back to the electric company at retail price. So your meter literally spins backward when you have excess electricity. If I had one of those, my electric bill would be literally a couple dollars a month, instead of the $200 it is now. So you would be charging your car for free too, and without using coal-generated power.

While EV still has a long ways to go, battery and motor technology is improving exponentially, and we will definitely see a 500 mile performance EV within 10 years. I think we will also see a push toward electric/CNG hybrids as well.

This car is seriously sexy.

[70Cuda383]

who knows what will happen in 20 years.

just over 100 years ago, people were saying that automobiles would never catch on because they need to be refueled, and horses are so much more reliable--you don't have to worry about a horse getting a flat tire, or spinning a main bearing.

look at where we are now...



but on the other hand, in the 1960s and 70s, they all said we would all have our own little flying cars to drive around, and the automobile as we know it will be obsolete

look at where we are now...

[Nolan]

Nice looking car, but they are deadly in the parking lot. I've nearly been run over by a couple of Prius drivers because the damn things are so quiet running only on the electric motor.

I think they should be required to have some sort of noisemaker when they are running on only the electric motor so you can hear the damn things. You know something like a little speaker that says "I'mmmmmmmm gay!"

Nolan

[BAD]

Why can't they make the tires run a generator; Using the wheel's momentum like a wind turbine to generate power to recharge the batteries as you drive?

I've always wondered that too.

[sltdak]

Why can't they make the tires run a generator; Using the wheel's momentum like a wind turbine to generate power to recharge the batteries as you drive?

I've always wondered that too.

Too much energy loss.
And if you mean the tires turning, while driving, to run or turn a generator, you're basically talking about perpetual motion. Which is impossible because of the previous statement: every loss.

Energy is not created nor destroyed, it just changes form. And at each step, some is loss to 'other processes'.

[threesixoh]

Too much energy loss.
And if you mean the tires turning, while driving, to run or turn a generator, you're basically talking about perpetual motion. Which is impossible because of the previous statement: every loss.

Energy is not created nor destroyed, it just changes form. And at each step, some is loss to 'other processes'.

but I betcha the Chyrsler EV has regenerative braking, IE. whenever you take your foot off the gas or brake, the wheels turn the motor and put power back into the batteries. This helps extend the range of the car on a single charge

[BAD]

Too much energy loss.
And if you mean the tires turning, while driving, to run or turn a generator, you're basically talking about perpetual motion. Which is impossible because of the previous statement: every loss.

Energy is not created nor destroyed, it just changes form. And at each step, some is loss to 'other processes'.

Of course its not perpetual motion, it would just be to prolong the battery life.

[sltdak]

but I betcha the Chyrsler EV has regenerative braking, IE. whenever you take your foot off the gas or brake, the wheels turn the motor and put power back into the batteries. This helps extend the range of the car on a single charge

I know about regenerative braking, I think most hybrid and/or electric vehicles have/use that or should. But the original question quoted didn't seem like it was referring to regenerative braking.

Why can't they make the tires run a generator; Using the wheel's momentum like a wind turbine to generate power to recharge the batteries as you drive?

That sounds like perpetual motion to me: Using wheels already driven (by motor or engine) to move vehicle and power generator to recharge battery for later use by motor.

[brad81987]

Why can't they make the tires run a generator; Using the wheel's momentum like a wind turbine to generate power to recharge the batteries as you drive?
Your adding to your propulsion need then. You have to have enough power to keep the car moving, plus turn the generator. So your expending extra power to turn a generator which is in turn feeding back into the system. It'd be like setting up a wind turbine to make electricity but when there's no wind, hooking a fan up to it and using the turbines electricity to run the fan to blow on the windmill and keep the turbine going. It's a continuous loop that essentially does nothing constructive.

Anytime you generate power, you have to get that energy from somewhere. You could stick a wind turbine on your roof, drive down the road at 65 mph and get electricity from it. But you're also creating additional drag and resistance so that extra power your getting goes out the door to overcome that added resistance and keep the vehicle moving at constant speed.

Regen braking on the other hand takes the energy from braking, which is usually lost as heat into the air off the pads and rotors, and turns that into electricity. And when you think about how much you use your brakes, it'd be absolutely stupid not to include regen braking on any sort of electric car.

The biggest thing to remember is conservation of energy. Energy cannot be destroyed or created, the total amount is always the same. If you add something to create power, some sort of energy source has to drive that generator.

[hskrRT]

A lot of the "original" electric cars have a system to basically turn the motor into generators when coasting to a stop or rolling down a hill when you don't need to use the go pedal.

[Jasonb61]

so can I get rid of my alternator and get a set of Regen brakes :jester:

[brad81987]

so can I get rid of my alternator and get a set of Regen brakes :jester:
If you break a lot, and add a couple extra batteries, sure, lol.

[dogthenine]

It'd be like setting up a wind turbine to make electricity but when there's no wind, hooking a fan up to it and using the turbines electricity to run the fan to blow on the windmill and keep the turbine going. It's a continuous loop that essentially does nothing constructive.



In your example, the fan turns the turbine, the turbine keeps the fan going. No power gained no power lost. Should run forever, until it breaks.



OK, so instead of charging the batteries back up, use the generators to keep the car going. Have them start running any speed over 45MPH, and use the batteries to run it under 45MPH (and the radio). If it takes x amount of power to run the car, design the generators to produce x amount. The batteries could give you 150 miles under 45MPH, and the generators could give you unlimited miles (or at least 1000 or so). Most long road trips aren't drive all at one time, and I would guess that most people don't drive more than 700-800 miles without stopping for a period of time (overnight). That time could be used to recharge the batteries and let the motors cool.

I'm no electrical engineer, but it seems like it should be possible!

[hskrRT]

Unfortunaly, the laws of physics still apply and energy can neither be created nor destroyed. You will "lose" energy during the process to heat and friction, so you will never be able to create a self sustaining electrical machine such as you describe.

[JethroStyles]

I've always wondered that too.
Alot of them do. It's called regenerative braking.

While it's true it won't 'create' energy, if you live in an area with alot of hills, you can regenerate as you're coasting down said hills

[brad81987]

In your example, the fan turns the turbine, the turbine keeps the fan going. No power gained no power lost. Should run forever, until it breaks.



OK, so instead of charging the batteries back up, use the generators to keep the car going. Have them start running any speed over 45MPH, and use the batteries to run it under 45MPH (and the radio). If it takes x amount of power to run the car, design the generators to produce x amount. The batteries could give you 150 miles under 45MPH, and the generators could give you unlimited miles (or at least 1000 or so). Most long road trips aren't drive all at one time, and I would guess that most people don't drive more than 700-800 miles without stopping for a period of time (overnight). That time could be used to recharge the batteries and let the motors cool.

I'm no electrical engineer, but it seems like it should be possible!
In short, yes, they would go forever----- if it were not for the inherent losses. The turbine is not 100% efficient, not all the wind from the fan will hit the turbine, some will scatter elsewhere, etc.

You figure out it takes 10 "power units" to keep you car going at a constant speed (ie overcoming tire friction, wind resistance, etc). In most cars that power comes from gasoline. The energy is stored in the gas and some is transfered to rotational energy to keep the car moving while most is lost as heat.

So you put in a "wheel generator" that puts out 10 power units. To have that generator put out 10 power units to drive the car, you have to put 10 power units in to it (power in = power out). So now it takes 10 power units to turn the generator plus the 10 power units to keep your car moving. 20 power units out, 10 power units in, your net is still 10 power units, the same as if you hadent put the generator in at all. It doesn't matter how big you go either. If you put a 15 power unit generator in, it takes 15 power units to turn it. Like the windmill example, think about connecting the outlet to the inlet in a water pump and turning it on, it goes around and around in a useless constant circle.

The thing is, no power generation is 100% efficient. Say your generator-motor system is only 90% efficient. Now it takes 11 power units to turn that generator and get 10 power units out. Now to drive your car you need that base 10 power units plus the additional 11 to turn the generator and your getting 10 back from the generator. Your net is now 11 power units.

The main advantage to electric is there is much much less mechanical loss. I don't know any exactly numbers, but I think you loose 20-30% of your engine output to the drive train (tranny, tcase, diffs, etc). So if you have 100 shaft horsepower, you only get 70-80 to turn your wheels. Electric motors can be connected directly to the wheels, eliminating all that drive train loss.

The other major advantage to electric is the horrid inefficiency of internal combustion engines. Only 20-30% of the power in gasoline goes to useable power, the other 70-80% gets wasted as heat and friction. Gasoline/diesel is not inefficient in and of itself, it's the way we use it. One of the German automakers, MB i think, currently is working on a system that takes the coolant heat from the engine, and essentially uses it to run a steam turbine. Now your taking that previously wasted heat energy, and turning it back into rotation energy.

Now go back to the Chevy Volt. When the batteries die, it runs off the gas engine. Because it's a series hybrid (only the electric motors actually drive the wheels) you've eliminated the drive train losses, but you still loose the heat energy from the burning of gasoline. Harness that heat and drive a steam turbine. Connect that steam turbine to to a generator. That generator could be used to send extra power to the electric wheel motors, or go to charging the batteries.

ok, i know that was long and rambling, hopefully someone gets something out of it....

[Nolan]

Yes, but will the airplane take off from the treadmill?

Nolan

[dogthenine]

Yes, but will the airplane take off from the treadmill?

Nolan

Yes it will!

[brad81987]

Yes, but will the airplane take off from the treadmill?

Nolan
Hahahaha, that had to be one of the most vehement discussions i've ever been involved in.

[sltdak]

In short, yes, they would go forever----- if it were not for the inherent losses. The turbine is not 100% efficient, not all the wind from the fan will hit the turbine, some will scatter elsewhere, etc.

You figure out it takes 10 "power units" to keep you car going at a constant speed (ie overcoming tire friction, wind resistance, etc). In most cars that power comes from gasoline. The energy is stored in the gas and some is transfered to rotational energy to keep the car moving while most is lost as heat.

So you put in a "wheel generator" that puts out 10 power units. To have that generator put out 10 power units to drive the car, you have to put 10 power units in to it (power in = power out). So now it takes 10 power units to turn the generator plus the 10 power units to keep your car moving. 20 power units out, 10 power units in, your net is still 10 power units, the same as if you hadent put the generator in at all. It doesn't matter how big you go either. If you put a 15 power unit generator in, it takes 15 power units to turn it. Like the windmill example, think about connecting the outlet to the inlet in a water pump and turning it on, it goes around and around in a useless constant circle.

The thing is, no power generation is 100% efficient. Say your generator-motor system is only 90% efficient. Now it takes 11 power units to turn that generator and get 10 power units out. Now to drive your car you need that base 10 power units plus the additional 11 to turn the generator and your getting 10 back from the generator. Your net is now 11 power units.

The main advantage to electric is there is much much less mechanical loss. I don't know any exactly numbers, but I think you loose 20-30% of your engine output to the drive train (tranny, tcase, diffs, etc). So if you have 100 shaft horsepower, you only get 70-80 to turn your wheels. Electric motors can be connected directly to the wheels, eliminating all that drive train loss.

The other major advantage to electric is the horrid inefficiency of internal combustion engines. Only 20-30% of the power in gasoline goes to useable power, the other 70-80% gets wasted as heat and friction. Gasoline/diesel is not inefficient in and of itself, it's the way we use it. One of the German automakers, MB i think, currently is working on a system that takes the coolant heat from the engine, and essentially uses it to run a steam turbine. Now your taking that previously wasted heat energy, and turning it back into rotation energy.

Now go back to the Chevy Volt. When the batteries die, it runs off the gas engine. Because it's a series hybrid (only the electric motors actually drive the wheels) you've eliminated the drive train losses, but you still loose the heat energy from the burning of gasoline. Harness that heat and drive a steam turbine. Connect that steam turbine to to a generator. That generator could be used to send extra power to the electric wheel motors, or go to charging the batteries.

ok, i know that was long and rambling, hopefully someone gets something out of it....

:mullet:
That was pretty much what I wanted to say, but didn't feel like typing all that.

[brad81987]

:mullet:
That was pretty much what I wanted to say, but didn't feel like typing all that.
I actually hadn't intended on saying that much but i just kinda got going.....

[96BlkDak]

the turbines and engines all have friction. until you get rid of that then you'll never have perpetual motion.

The Chevy Volt is only going 40 miles at 65mph. I cant see how that makes it 150miles

[threesixoh]

more batteries, less weight due to both a smaller/ligther chassis, and a lack of a gas engine, fuel tank, and associated drivetrain.