Fuel Efficient Vehicles

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Perhaps this is obvious to some.. Perhaps it is obviously flawed to others.. I'd love to hear feedback!

I think the future of the automobile will look something like this:

  • One electric motor attached directly to each wheel
  • A battery pack to power the electric motors
  • Power source(s) to regenerate the battery pack
  • Some possible power sources:
    • solar
    • plug it in
    • fuel cells
    • gasoline engine / generator
    • tow-behind gasoline engine / generator
    • recharge stations at all gas stations
    • regenerative braking
    • powered roadways
    • ...

Why? Every study shows that it is far cheaper with far fewer emissions to centralize power generation and distribute to electric vehicles than to have every vehicle have an internal cumbustion engine (ICE). It is far easier to put scrubbers on a small number of power plant 'exhaust pipes' than on the millions of cars on the road. Plus, as electricity generation becomes greener, every electric car on the road has suddenly become greener too, without changing anything!

If you think about the traditional ICE powered car, it doesn't make a lot of sense. The power output of an ICE doesn't match the power needs of an automobile, thus the need for a transmission. Transmissions are nothing but an adapter to deal with this mismatch that, by the way, sucks power itself. Plus, an ICE generates optimal power/emissions at a very narrow RPM range, meaning it is very inefficient at other RPM's. Plus, cruising down the highway requires only a small amount of power, but the ICE must have all this reserve power it is usually wasting for those few moments when you accelerate. What a waste.

Electric motors are much more suited to powering automobiles. They produce maximum torque at zero RPM, meaning they can accelerate nicely from a stop. I believe the biggest potential issue with electric vehicles is that they could be made to have way too much power. People won't be used to driving in or with cars that accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds.

In the interim, one power source for an electric car is still an ICE, but attached to a generator. But, notice that the ICE can always run at optimal RPM, and be connected directly to the generator, eliminating the power-sucking transmission. Plus, it only needs to run on demand. So it is not a bad interim solution.

Small electric 'commuter' cars would be possible too. With a range of around 50 miles, that would suffice for probably 90% of the driving I do. If longer trips are necessary, a small 'tow-behind' ICE/generator could provide infinite range.

Long-term, many folks are talking about fuel cell vehicles. What's the output of a fuel cell? Electricity and water. That electricity can be used to charge the battery pack. So, if we convert to electric vehicles now, those designs will not be for naught when fuel cells become widely available.

Notice also that the algorithms for stability control, anti-lock braking, and traction control will all still be valid, but they will simply be controlling different output devices (the electric motors). The one motor for each wheel design potentially allows for more precise control, perhaps meaning that these safety features would work even better.

My disappointment is in the "big-3" automakers. They could have been leaders in electric motor technology, making cheaper, lighter, more powerful motors. They could have been leaders in battery technology, making them cheaper, longer lasting, able to withstand more charging cycles, etc. They could have been leaders in electric roadways. They could have been leaders in generator technology. Instead, they are leaders in building giant SUV's, litigating, and lobbying. Oh well. I'll be curious to see if some of the startup electric car companies can make a go of it. See Commuter Cars for one example.
Feel free to send me some e-mail!