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??

18 Replies

thomas201
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
Weight. The diesel weighs more, the enemy of electric or hybrid cars.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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Electric vehicles. Small diesel generator to charge??

18 Replies

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