Ok , this may seem crazy, but I have seen diesel generators run for very long periods on small amount of fuel.Why not have a small diesel generator to run an inverter to charge batterys at any time they fall below a certain charge?Mostly when running .Only thing you need to do is fill a small diesel tank on your vehicle once a month for small amount.Just a fun thought !

Seems you will need a rather large gen to provide enough energy to both drive the motors and at the same time to charge the batteries.

MARK VANDERBENT wrote:Ok , this may seem crazy, but I have seen diesel generators run for very long periods on small amount of fuel.Why not have a small diesel generator to run an inverter to charge batterys at any time they fall below a certain charge?Mostly when running .Only thing you need to do is fill a small diesel tank on your vehicle once a month for small amount.Just a fun thought !That would be a plug in hybrid. Plenty available. Although none diesel that I know.

The Volt’s engine moved the car but it didn’t charge the battery. Insufficient size to power an adequate charger and power the car. GM tried.

I assume you mean similar to diesel electric locomotives where the only motive power is from electric motors with electric power supplied by diesel generator. I would guess if it were feasible someone would have already tried it.

hybrids bring the best of both worlds. But, they cost more than ICE, and pure electric costs more than Hybrid. Customers in general have been unwilling to pay for the technology change.

Electric vehicles. Small diesel generator to charge??

wildtoad
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
Seems you will need a rather large gen to provide enough energy to both drive the motors and at the same time to charge the batteries.
time2roll
Nomad
Sep 25, 2019
MARK VANDERBENT wrote:
Ok , this may seem crazy, but I have seen diesel generators run for very long periods on small amount of fuel.
Why not have a small diesel generator to run an inverter to charge batterys at any time they fall below a certain charge?
Mostly when running .
Only thing you need to do is fill a small diesel tank on your vehicle once a month for small amount.
Just a fun thought !
That would be a plug in hybrid. Plenty available. Although none diesel that I know.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
The Volt’s engine moved the car but it didn’t charge the battery. Insufficient size to power an adequate charger and power the car. GM tried.
BB_TX
Nomad
Sep 25, 2019
I assume you mean similar to diesel electric locomotives where the only motive power is from electric motors with electric power supplied by diesel generator.

I would guess if it were feasible someone would have already tried it.
philh
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
hybrids bring the best of both worlds. But, they cost more than ICE, and pure electric costs more than Hybrid. Customers in general have been unwilling to pay for the technology change.
camperdave
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
That would be a series hybid, like a locomotive.

No reason you couldn't do it. Pretty sure any factory EV would not let you start the car while plugged in so you'd have to do some electronics trickery.
HadEnough
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
Unless you are talking about charging the batteries only when you have the vehicle parked, you need a generator the size of the normal engine, Plus a few percent larger in order to account for losses.
thomas201
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
Weight. The diesel weighs more, the enemy of electric or hybrid cars.
winniman
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
If you need say a 150 hp gas engine to move a car, you would need a 150 hp generator to produce enough electricity to power the car. There are no freebies. I guess you could park the car for two days while a tiny generator charges the batteries back up.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2019
It would probably work to extend the range. You don't need a 150 hp generator, most cars when up to speed take very little hp to maintain that speed. Stop and go driving would be different. The smallest Diesel generator I have seen is 6k watts.

Kind of defeats the purpose of a electric car eliminating emissions with a generator running.