Electric Cars With Range Extenders
Electric cars are great for shorter trips, but range anxiety can take its toll as you get farther from your home. To calm some of that anxiety and make electric cars more usable, manufacturers developed electric cars with range extenders. While not quite as simple as throwing a generator into the trunk, these small powerplants are able to recharge the cars batteries on the go, eliminating the need for time consuming stops at recharging stations. As well see, the range extender can be a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, a turbine, or even a fuel cell. Now, Autobytel presents a roundup of 10 electric cars with range extenders :
What About The Environment
Its actually more environmentally friendly because typical vehicles already have thousands of dollars worth of emissions controls systems in place computers, oxygen sensors, and catalytic converters. In some cities, a ULEV actually puts out less pollution than there is in the ambient air! Gross, right? A standard generator is basically a glorified lawn mower, with no emissions equipment at all!
The Pros And Cons Of Using A Generator
We sometimes forget how vital electricity is and how much we rely on it since it has become a frequent part of our daily lives, both at home and with the next generation of vehicles.
Only when power outages occur due to inclement weather do we understand how important it is to have a generator on hand to provide us with electrical energy. With that said, what are some pros and cons when using a generator?
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Fuel Consumption And Running Time
The most efficient charging sources available today, inverters consume about 8 % of their overall power output charging your Tesla battery via a charger. The least efficient charging sources available today, charging cycle generators consume about 20% of their overall power output charging batteries. Thats why we focus on efficient inverter generators when choosing.
Portability Is The Biggest Challenge
An at-home battery backup may not be your only or even primary concern. According to Deloittes 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study, range anxiety continues to be the number one hurdle for U.S. consumers who are hesitant to make the switch to EVs.
If youre worried you wont be able to get to a charging station when you need it, you may wonder if you can carry a backup battery or generator with you to recharge. This is where it gets especially tricky.
Its fundamentally difficult to create a backup power source thats small enough to toss in your trunk, yet powerful enough to deliver a significant boost. Currently, there is one promising option on the market: the ZipCharge Go.
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Product #3 Honda 663520 Eu2200i 2200
It has a bold red and black appearance. The Honda 663520 works on quietly that you cant hear it over a normal conversation. It is also fuel-efficient, lasting up to 8 hours on 0.95 gallons of fuel.
It weighs only 53.57 pounds and comes with a built-in handle. It has a feature called CO detector that monitors the level of carbon monoxide and shuts down when the level is dangerously high. There are also indicator lights for oil alert, overload alarm, and eco throttle to ensure the generator works optimally.
Performance
The maximum power output of the Honda 663520 EU2200i is 2,200 Watts, and 1,800 Watts loaded. It is easy to disassemble for maintenance. It can be turned off via Bluetooth and monitored with a smartphone app that offers oil change reminders.
Recommended?
With the rated output so low, it will take longer to charge up your car battery. However, the three-year warranty offered by the manufacturer increases confidence in the product.
Does not produce as much power
Inverter Itll Charge Your Tesla Or An Ev But
The charging source thats used in most modern portable generators today, inverter charging is also the most efficient charging method. Inverters can be used to convert a charging cycle generator or an AC power outlet into a charging station for your battery bank or deep-cycle battery needs. The problem with inverter charging generators is theyre usually the most expensive charging options, and theyre also the noisiest charging sources
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Why Your Vehicle Is Better For Backup Power Instead Of A Traditional Gas Generator
Lightweight and Convenient
Starting at just 9 pounds, this tiny device hooks up in a minute, and powers your home for days.
Longer Runtime
You get 50-70 hours of runtime from your car gas tank, versus refilling a small gas generator tank every 4-6 hours.
Electric / Hybrid cars
Electric / Hybrid cars work great with CarGenerator, and in the case of a pure electric vehicle you use no gasoline at all.
Environmentally Superior
Gas generators are known to be loud and smelly for a reason, they have almost no emissions control or filters. Your car on the other hand, has thousands of dollars of pollution controls and engine management, with regular government emissions testing.
Less Gas
Surprise! Running a compact sedan at idle uses less gasoline than running a generator. Honda 1000watt generator .19 gal/hr, compact sedan 2 litre engine .16 gal/hr Source: energy.gov
Ultra-Reliable & Hassle Free
Ready when you need it. If your car starts you have power. Hassle Free no maintenance or oil changes, ever.
Portable Hydrogen Generators To Charge Electric Cars In Remote Areas
General Motors is working on a radical plan to use portable hydrogen-powered generators to charge electric vehicles in remote areas.
US car giant General Motors is considering a radical plan to develop portable hydrogen generators to charge electric cars in remote areas.
It’s another technology option being considered as the world’s auto makers grapple with how low-emissions and zero-emissions cars could be used in remote areas.
Most electric cars on sale today have a driving range of between 200km and 400km, which is less than most petrol or diesel vehicles.
While hydrogen-powered vehicles are also in development experimental fleets of Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo hydrogen cars are already on Australian roads they are reliant on limited refuelling points.
And hydrogen cars are currently more costly to develop and manufacture than electric vehicles.
A new General Motors proposal would use hydrogen to power portable power stations or generators which would, in turn, create electricity to charge electric cars.
Drive was recently able to take a first-hand look at General Motors emission-free hydrogen generator at its proving ground in Milford, Michigan and watch as it fast-charged a Hummer EV.
The portable unit uses General Motors Hydrotec hydrogen technology.
While the proposal might sound exotic now, the concept could provide a solution for electric-car use in remote regions of countries like Australia.
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Stabilization Of The Grid
Since EVs can be plugged into the electric grid when not in use, there is a potential for battery-powered vehicles to cut the demand for electricity by feeding electricity into the grid from their batteries during peak use periods while doing most of their charging at night, when there is unused generating capacity. This vehicle-to-grid connection has the potential to reduce the need for new power plants, as long as vehicle owners do not mind reducing the life of their batteries, by being drained by the power company during peak demand. Electric vehicle parking lots can provide demand response.
Furthermore, current electricity infrastructure may need to cope with increasing shares of variable-output power sources such as wind and solar. This variability could be addressed by adjusting the speed at which EV batteries are charged, or possibly even discharged.
Some concepts see battery exchanges and battery charging stations, much like gas/petrol stations today. These will require enormous storage and charging potentials, which could be manipulated to vary the rate of charging, and to output power during shortage periods, much as diesel generators are used for short periods to stabilize some national grids.
Forget Storage Batteries And Gas Generators Electric Vehicles Are Powering Homes When Utilities Go Down
Soon you’ll be able to say goodbye to gas-powered generators and storage batteries if you want to power your home during a utility outage.
Your backup power source will be sitting in your driveway or garage, ready to keep your lights on, your fridge cold and your air conditioner blowing.
Best of all, your power source will run silently, emit no dangerous exhaust, and be capable of safely running inside or outside during hurricanes and for at least a couple days afterward while your utility works to restore power.
Electric vehicles with bidirectional charging capabilities are starting to hit the market as the auto industry transitions away from internal combustion engines. Just a handful of vehicles with so-called Vehicle-to-Home capabilities are available nowand require costly aftermarket gearbut industry analysts expect their numbers to increase as more EVs come to market.
“It’s still evolving because you don’t have standard technologies to do this,” says Seth Blumsack, co-director of the Penn State University Center for Energy, Law and Policy. “It’s not as ‘plug-and-play’ as you might want.”
Bidirectional charging, as the term implies, is the capability to both receive and send power, and its availability in electric vehicles could provide a valuable layer of security to homeowners as severe weather events become more frequent and destructive.
‘More than just an EV’
You’ll need to install extras
It comes with several advantages, Hammer said by email.
Explore further
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Level 3 Dc Fast Charging
These chargers use direct current to charge your vehicle much faster, but theyre impractical and too expensive for use in most homes. They can fully charge an EV in 30 minutes, making them ideal for businesses and charging stations along freeways.
You cant plan on owning an electric vehicle without easy access to charging from one of these sources. So before you plan for your backup power, make sure the charging you can access at home and work is sufficient to provide for your daily driving needs.
Will It Actually Work
In the video above, Tommy unboxes and walks through the setup process for the generator. We also provide a short preview of the charging process using our Volkswagen e-Golf. Now, since these are whats called floating neutral generators, we need to get a bit creative to work out a grounding solution. Even in our first test, the home charger supplied with our e-Golf threw up a fault code and wouldnt accept power from the generator.
Well have to do some more testing to see whether this solution is a viable one, so stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!
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Cons Of Using A Generator
The generator helps ensure that you have access to electricity at all times. For example, if you get a cut in the cold, it will not influence your comfort. However, as you might expect, the benefits frequently coexist with the drawbacks. Here are 5 typical disadvantages you will find when using a generator.
- If there is no gasoline, there is no generator. It implies that when it operates, combustion gases are released. As a result, you wont be able to put it inside your lodging. It has to be set up outside .
- When the gadget is turned on, it makes a noise. Depending on the equipment, noise pollution might be more or less severe.
- A generator must be linked to the electrical system before connecting to the home network. If you have no former experience in the field, doing the move on your own appears to be risky. Dont forget about your systems mandatory control.
Some EV charging cables have ground sensors installed and would not allow you to charge your car without specialized ground control modifications.
- Your generator must be powered by diesel or gasoline to return to fuel. It means youll need to have a certain amount on hand, especially if you want to be prepared for several power outages or refill your generators for longer trips when on the road.
However, both the storage and the generator must conform to environmental rules. Specifically, depending on the generators power and the amount of fuel stored, you may need to do certain activities.
More Dispatched From The World Of Infiniti:
This isnt a new concept. What Infiniti calls gas-powered EVs is really akin to a series hybrid with a range-extending gas engine. Similar technology is used on currently sold vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, Honda Insight, and BMW i3 REx. The difference between them and Infinitis gas-powered EVs is all-electric range, or lack thereof. The Chevy, Honda, and BMW all have an electric range they can travel without the gas engine on, whereas Infinitis gas-powered EVs will always have their gas engine on.
All of Infinitis gas-powered EVs, will have two electric motors, one on each axle, making them all-wheel-drive vehicles. These motors will generate a total output of either 248 or 429 horsepower depending on the model, and Infiniti predicts 0 to 60 miles per hour to happen in 4.5 seconds for the most powerful versions. The battery packs, which are much smaller than what a pure electric vehicle would use, will be placed in the floor of the cabin and have capacities from ranging from 3.5 to 5.1 kWh.
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What Is Important To Us When Choosing A Tesla Gas Generator
When comparing the two options, keep in mind the following four criteria:
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How long does it take to charge a Tesla from a generator? To charge the battery to 60%, you will have to use the recommended generator for at least 15 hours. Other calculations can be done with this . Below is a detailed table of the different generators for charging a Tesla or EV, considering also the charging speed.
How To Charge An Electric Car With A Generator
So for the test, I am going to use my electric smart car and charge it at 120V with a HONDA EU7000is generator.
The reason I am using HONDA EU7000is is that small portable generators are not good. They will struggle to produce more amps and watts, and most of them offer only 120V.
Most EV owners use HONDA or other high power generators that offer 120V and 240V plugs.
I am using TESLA MODEL X and another smart car for the test.
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Do I Need To Leave My Car Engine Running
Unless you own a wind farm or a giant solar array, when the power goes out, there are only two ways of generating backup power 1) Producing power from backup batteries, which will only last a few hours at best, or 2) producing power from an internal combustion engine. Like a traditional gas generator, with CarGenerator, a gas motor provides the power, turning fuel into electricity. Where CarGenerator is different is that it has a much larger gas tank, so 50-70 hours of runtime is possible instead of 5-8, and its only 16 pounds, because you are using your cars engine instead of one thats permanently coupled to a generator. Thanks to the superior emissions control systems of modern vehicle, CarGenerator is actually more environmentally-friendly as well.
Product #1 Generac G0071540 Gp3300i Best Choice With The Overall Best Performance
The Generac G00 inverter generator is compact and very portable. It uses Quiet Inverter Power technology to reduce noise during operation and to provide optimal performance.
There is the economy mode that helps to conserve fuel by automatically adjusting the engine speed, which also reduces the noise produced.
The Generac is lightweight at 59.4 pounds, allowing it to be carried around easily by its handle. Apart from charging an electric car, it can also juice up mobile devices like smartphones and tablets through its USB ports. The status lights warn when something is wrong, for instance, the oil level is low or there is an overload on the generator.
Performance
The Generac is rated for 3,300 watts starting and 2,500 watts running, and provides clean and stable power suitable for charging an electric car. However, changing the oil is a chore, as the large side panel has to be removed with a screwdriver first.
Recommended?
This is the best choice as it balances performance, price, and weight very well.
It has a bright orange and black plastic exterior. It has a simple startup procedure. It has a simple startup procedure.
The generator weighs 48 pounds and has a built-in handle. It does not take up much space.
This generator also has an economy mode for saving on fuel and LED indicators for when it needs attention or other statuses like low oil level or that the generator is ready to charge the car.
Performance
Recommended?
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Van Is Towing Mobile Lithium Battery Pack
A reverse Google image search reveals that the van towing the claimed generator in the photo is part of OAMTC, an Austrian Auto and Moto Touring Club.
The yellow van is a Mobile Power Bank that OAMTC uses as roadside assistance to charge electric vehicles that run out of battery.
OAMTC originally the image to Facebook in 2019 with the caption: If the battery can’t make it anymore, we’ll bring you fresh juice! Our Mobile Power Bank for e-cars has successfully completed its first test in practice. After about 20 minutes, the electric Mercedes had enough power to bring our member to the next charging station without any problems.
Perl Heidi with OAMTC told USA TODAY via email that the photo is misinterpreted and is not a gas-powered generator, but a mobile power bank.
“The ‘Mobile Electric Vehicle Charger’ consists of several lithium cells and can deliver electricity for about twelve kilometers to an electric vehicle,” Heidi said. “This takes about 15 minutes and in most cases allows a trip to the nearest gas station.”
The lithium battery packs are created by Australian company Votexa and can be charged from any energy source, AFP reported.
Electricity in Austria’s largest state is generated 100% by using renewable sources of energy, and electricity in Austria as a whole comes 75% from renewables and the rest from fossil fuels, The Agence France-Presse reported in 2015.
The claim has also been debunked by German fact-checking organization CORRECTIV in 2019.
