Electric Vehicles: Fantasy or Reality? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

75Sv1 · #31 06-13-2022, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I don’t understand your last sentence. The engine in the Volt was serving as a generator.

Yes, the vehicle drives only from the electric motor. The battery or the engine or both provide the electricity for the motor. The vehicle does have the ability to charge its own battery. With the Volt, that is only a 1/2 charge, though.

cmac2012 · #32 06-13-2022, 11:58 AM

I would like to experience a Volt, not sure how well advised it is to buy a used one.

You know Burt Rutan, the airplane designer who either invented or popularized the small canard wing at the front of a small plane? I think he was a big designer on one of the private space lunch ideas also.

Maybe 20 years ago I read an article where he opined that having a small engine to be a dedicated full-time generator as a means for backing up batteries was the way to go. When you say half charge do you mean there’s not as much torque from that as from a full battery recharge?

Dubyagee · #33 06-13-2022, 12:24 PM

Via motors has been doing a dedicated genset design for a few years now.

https://youtu.be/p5STy6HRZEQ

75Sv1 · #34 06-13-2022, 12:26 PM

I bought mine used in 2018. Mines a 2015. I know of Burt Rutan. Very influential in aircraft design. Also, I think the electric powered trans Global flight.
I remember CA Volts were less than elsewhere. Also, many had very low mileage. I bought mine, while a Chevy Cruze with twice the mileage cost a bit more at the time. I did get extended warranty, sort of Free through the Dealer ship. Also, I think CA has extended Volt warranty.
Also, Mother Earth had plans for the Opel GT to use a Brigg & Stratton as a generator for an electric Hybrid in the 70-80's. Train use a diesel generator to power the electric motors. So, not new technology.

Also, I thought I saw that GM's Electric Truck is a PHEV.

Autoputzer · #35 06-13-2022, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 75Sv1

The Fuel Cell might be viable. It still runs into not enough stations. CA and specifically SF is about it. I could see a PHEV with this. I was disappointed with the electric mileage in the Hyudia offerings. Lower than the Volts. Also, as to the Volt, they used an off the shelf engine. I wonder what would be with an engine, ie generator, would increase performance.

Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. Hydrogen is not an energy source. Hydrogen is a battery, a way to store energy. One way to make hydrogen is to run electrical current through water, breaking it up into its components: hydrogen and oxygen.

75Sv1 · #36 06-14-2022, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autoputzer

Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. Hydrogen is not an energy source. Hydrogen is a battery, a way to store energy. One way to make hydrogen is to run electrical current through water, breaking it up into its components: hydrogen and oxygen.

So then in your logic, electricity is not an energy source. It must be produced at a large scale from some other energy source. Also, need to note the impact of those sources. Yes, Hydrogen does have its issues. Also, would need to see the impact and cost of those. I do believe fuel cells can 'run' or use other sources to produce electricity. Gasoline and possible alcohol. I'd have to check on that. The main advantage to a Fuel Cell, is efficiency and 'clean' emissions. Then there is the quick refuel time. Is a fuel cell more environmentally friendly to produce vs batteries? Also, the concern with transporting hydrogen. Its the smallest or one of the smallest atoms. So, it leaks through other materials.
In some areas, say Iceland, is could be a "Free" energy. Use the volcanic flows. Possibly Hawaii and Montana. Maybe that Super Cauldron won't blow for a few more centuries.

merc lover · #37 06-15-2022, 09:10 AM

The merc 300D is near bullet proof. Yes, the normal maintenance issues....I wouldn't hesitate to go anywhere in it. All from a car manufactured in Germany back in 1984......amazing......

Autoputzer · #38 06-15-2022, 03:17 PM

If you're going g to the trouble of making hydrogen, you can also burn it in an IC engine with clean emissions.

cmac2012 · #39 06-16-2022, 02:02 AM

I understand it’s cheaper to get hydrogen from natural gas. One wonders what they do with the leftover, which would have to include carbon.

sno_duc · #40 06-16-2022, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I understand it’s cheaper to get hydrogen from natural gas. One wonders what they do with the leftover, which would have to include carbon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen

Quote:

Hydrogen is often produced by reacting water with methane and carbon monoxide, which causes the removal of hydrogen from hydrocarbons at very high temperatures, with 48% of hydrogen production coming from steam reforming.[111][112] The water vapor is then reacted with the carbon monoxide produced by steam reforming to oxidize it to carbon dioxide and turn the water into hydrogen. Commercial bulk hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas[113] with release of atmospheric greenhouse gas or with capture using CCS and climate change mitigation. Steam reforming is also known as the Bosch process and is widely used for the industrial preparation of hydrogen.

At high temperatures (1000–1400 K, 700–1100 °C or 1300–2000 °F), steam (water vapor) reacts with methane to yield carbon monoxide and H
2.

CH
4 + H
2O → CO + 3 H
2
This reaction is favored at low pressures but is nonetheless conducted at high pressures (2.0 MPa, 20 atm or 600 inHg). This is because high-pressure H
2 is the most marketable product, and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) purification systems work better at higher pressures. The product mixture is known as "synthesis gas" because it is often used directly for the production of methanol and related compounds. Hydrocarbons other than methane can be used to produce synthesis gas with varying product ratios. One of the many complications to this highly optimized technology is the formation of coke or carbon:

CH
4 → C + 2 H
2

I have worked a few turn-arounds at refineriers, this is how they make Hydrogen for thr hydrocracker unit.
Also have done turn-arounds at a fertilizer plant same process to make hydrogen to turn into ammonia.