Overhaulin'

Electric powered car with small generator converted to act as an alternator? Gas going to be $7/gal by 2012???

4 independent electro-magnetic motors (similiar to Remote control car motors) hooked up to a bank of batteries. The wheels/ i.e.m.m.s have pulleys (like on gasoline motors) which are connected by belts to alternators that recharge the battery cells while the vehicle is in motion. all the batteries are thin li-ion batteries that are slim so that they can fit in the chassis/body beneath the passenger compartment. the brake system is electro-magnetic using electrical pulses to slow and bring the vehicle to a stop. Down the center of the vehicle an independent cell of batteries and/or heavy duty capacitors to power the various other important electronics (headlights, taillights, etc.). there can be other pulleys in place for fans, hvac systems, so on. Acceleration can be controlled by transformers and switches linked to the accelerator pedal. Obviously for larger vehicles and more hauling power the motors are going to have to be modified but here is a start.

Public Comments

1. The Mayan Calendar says we won't need the gas after Dec. 21, 2012.....but we will paying more than seven dollars a gallon way before then!
2. So...what's your question? Sounds to me like you've just described a hybrid...
3. "4 independent electro-magnetic motors (similiar to Remote control car motors) hooked up to a bank of batteries." all electric motors are electro-magnetic. just thought i'd say so. and the battery/batteries are a given, unless you want to be stuck following some sort of electric rail in the ground "The wheels/ i.e.m.m.s have pulleys (like on gasoline motors) which are connected by belts to alternators that recharge the battery cells while the vehicle is in motion." good idea, but not that simple. the alternators would cause a drag, reducing efficiency and forcing the drive motors to use more energy to maintain the same speed. fan-powered alternators, powered by the relative wind created by the vehicle's motion could work with sustained speeds, though "all the batteries are thin li-ion batteries that are slim so that they can fit in the chassis/body beneath the passenger compartment." why not put them where the old gasoline engine was? "the brake system is electro-magnetic using electrical pulses to slow and bring the vehicle to a stop." huge waste of energy. cut the drive motors and use a closed hydraulic system to apply friction brakes, just like we have now. and we already have ways of getting some electrical energy out of them, thus producing energy rather than using it "Down the center of the vehicle an independent cell of batteries and/or heavy duty capacitors to power the various other important electronics (headlights, taillights, etc.)." important stuff is stuff you're going to use alot. might as well run off of the main battery. non-essential stuff, like a radio, A/C, power windows, etc, on the other hand, would use this idea very well "Acceleration can be controlled by transformers and switches linked to the accelerator pedal." link the pedal to a current limiter that, well, limits the current, and therefor, speed, of the drive motor(s). much simpler, and the basic system already exists "Obviously for larger vehicles and more hauling power the motors are going to have to be modified but here is a start." no, they just need bigger motors and one more note: unless you include a ton of super-lightweight, super-effecient solar panels, you'd still need to plug in to recharge every so often, which we simply don't have the infrastructure for yet. or put a small gas-powered engine in it to keep you moving while charging the batteries. super-high MPG is better than nothing, right?