Charging electric car

JRscooby wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

joebedford wrote:
Ida thunk that with regenerative braking, the EV could charge itself as you drag it down the road. Hey maybe I'll patent that idea.

There is that pesky problem of physics. You cannot create energy out of thin air. On top of that, no system is 100% efficient. It will take more energy to drag that EV with it's brakes engaged than will be stored in the batteries.

True. OTOH, I think most toads use the normal braking system with control from the MH. If part of that braking system is regen, why not charge while slowing down? Then think about how many start their ICE before going out to car? Could the same system be used to turn on the motor, let the toad pull itself on uphills, or acceleration ramps? Or even push to limit of traction to help motorhome hold speed on hill? On normal cruise let it shut off, only turn on as you approach WOT.

As for charging at the RV Park. We do not, and will not, ever allow it. It isn't about the money. I don't think there is an RV'er that hasn't experienced a park where the voltage drops on a hot day when the park is full. EV charging draws significant amperage for long periods of time. RV park electrical systems are not designed to be able to handle the additional demands of charging EVs. As that voltage drop indicates, many parks are almost unable to handle the current demand without adding EV charging.

Your business, you can run it your way. But most hotel/motel are doing or thinking about doing it. As more E vehicles replace ICE, the calculation might change. Might work out better to have a small lot of charging stations where people pay separate fee for power from a separate line. Be better than the ones you know will run the MH on batteries while you sleep so can plug their car in.

Hotels and motels are generally in metro areas where power is more readily available. Also, hotels and motels do not need to offer the charging directly outside each room.
In an RV park setting there is tremendous pushback by guests against parking a vehicle anywhere but at their site. As for just feeding the charging area with a different line, I guess I wasn't clear in stating that in many rural areas (where RV parks are common) the power provider cannot just give the park more power. Their transmission system cannot provide the additional services. I don't doubt that somewhere in the future currently configured RV parks will become a thing of the past. (maybe it will be EV motorhomes, maybe it will be flying RVs and parks will need runways who really knows). But I believe that retrofitting current parks to be able to provide charging for EVs when the majority of the cars, trucks and RVs are actually Electrically powered will not be undertaken by many of those park owners. They will, instead, choose to sell and allow that land to be converted to other uses.