Electrifying!

"MentalMechanic" (MentalMechanic) 10/09/2013 at 11:56 • Filed to: None

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Musk use to be a perfume and cologne. Now it is the name of the guy who is making electric cars cool in America. He is doing a much better job than the EV1 projects and others before them. His stocks are soaring much like the monorail stocks in the Simpsons and much like the fast talking minks in that fantasy realm he seems to have an answer for everything and I would say even dares for someone to defy him.

So why should a current niche car turn into the next wave of things wrench heads can enjoy? Simple, the allure of pure unadulterated power giving instant gratification. By now it is no surprise to anyone that small electric motors can pack a serious punch. Don’t believe me check this one out:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1087310_d…

or take out a drill and try to stop it with your hand as it turns. Imagine how much more space and weight you would need with a gas powered drill to get the same power.

Electric motors are also more efficient then their gas guzzling counter parts at using the energy given into propulsion. Essentially you apply current to a magnet that turns the comm shaft (crankshaft) and it spins the wheels. This could be directly applied to the wheels or through a drivetrain/gearing system .

And with each wheel its own motor you could employ some very sensitive and attuned traction control and even use them to stop the vehicle better then hydraulic brake systems.

The other reason we should get excited is that the power train systems can be incredibly small and even though storage of electricity ie batteries is a problem the battery system is still incredibly flexible. You can store them within the structure of the car for better weight distribution and body design can then take an even more radical turn. See any futuristic movie car that isn’t based on a current production car and go even crazier!

More proof electric cars are headed in the right direction. Head to your local rc hobby store. And talk to some of the old rc guys when they use to run brushed electric motors and NICD batteries. Run times where 15 minutes and the cars got to about 35 mph. Today’s RC cars are pulling 45 minute run times and can run above 65mph with that run time with smaller batteries with bigger holding capacities and brushless motor systems. And the batteries now are about a 1:1 ratio with run and charging times. This is a great sign for the full size battery powered cars. Going faster and farther than their gas/nitro counterparts and battery swaps are only slightly slower then refueling and cost less money over the life of the batteries and charge cost per usage compared to using nitro fuel.

So go ahead get excited for the not so new power system. But one that is finally getting a true look into viability. Unlike the Darda car system which would be really awesome but fairly impractical. Imagine people pushing their cars back and forth to “recharge” the kinetic drive system.

Next time we look at the negative sides of electric powered cars and how to overcome them.

$kaycog > MentalMechanic 10/09/2013 at 12:11

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