How Many Volts to Run an Electric Car on a Generator?

by William
(Indiana)



If I can come up with something that produces electric power for a car motor, how many volts would I need to keep it running?

Hi, William -

You're asking how to eliminate the battery pack, right? The short answer is "I don't know." Anyway, I've only seen generators sold in terms of the number of kilowatts they produce, not volts. That will depend on the voltage of your EV system, I guess.

So here's the problem to solve if you don't want to use batteries:

Generators tend to run at a constant rate, not a variable rate. Electric motors that run electric cars need a lot of power available for acceleration and hill-climbing; this is why people keep the battery pack.

A small generator provides too little power for acceleration, a large generator that provides enough power for satisfying acceleration wastes a lot of electricity when the car's just cruising along at speed. What people usually do is go with a smaller, lighter generator that can charge a battery pack for range-extension (like the Chevy Volt, for instance).

Grid juice is way cheaper than generated-by-fuel electricity, so plugging in is popular.

Best of luck with your project!

Regards,
Lynne

Comments for How Many Volts to Run an Electric Car on a Generator?

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starstarstarstarstar 		Jerry??
by: Michael

Why would you say electric conversion would be a bad idea?? You can run an electric motor for for a lot less then running a big gas engine in a boat! Soler .wind .and a small generator
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Electric boat ?? With a generator
by: Michael

Ok I have been watching electric conversaion for years now I always wanted to pick up an older boat with twins and convert it to electric... something like a Tesla battery pack ..Soler ..wind and a generator that runs on natural gas ...I believe I could run a full size boat..28 to 34 at decent speed for a few cents a day ...any input ??

Sounds like a great idea! Go for it. This boat in the video is probably lighter than what you were thinking of, but it gives one ideas!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Hydro electric power car.
by: Anonymous

To drive an electric motor car, Electric is main. To produce this electric, the optional idea. I am interesting to produce the electric without fuel coz of its poisonous to environment. So, I imagine the hydroelectric power to drive motor while car is driving. I will use fans turnings by the wind load that occur while car driving. And I also will use capacitor range to store electric power at the same time . This stored power will be used at the time the car start to drive motor engine. Actually I am imagine the Re-used power system without fuel. Please comment.

Sounds fantastic! As long as the total amount of energy you can recover from wind and whatnot are greater than the total amount of energy you spend moving your car in the first place, you are in good shape. Good luck, and let's see the results of your project!
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starstarstarstarstar 		people
by: Anonymous

I read an article on a diesel generator electric car that got somthing like 400 miles to the gallon. Ill believe build a small motor with a larg stroke or torqe low rpm twisting force to generate electricty. I like this guys thoughts try somthing new. There is no problem with thinking outside the box digging for a solution to a project. Guy is trying to build somthing asks a simple question and rather than a simple awnser gets reasons why its not a good idea i had the same question as him and was hoping to find an awnser not reasons why not to.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Runner a electric car without a battery
by: Anonymous

I know how to make volts to run electric cars without the use of a battiers. I was an inspector on gas turbine engines for 39 years,and came up with a model that gave me the power to run the engine for an electric car for ever without a battery.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Battery, generator, alternator
by: hdillow

Hi,

I am a newbie when it comes to electic motors for propusion. I am wanting to repower a boat to use an electic motor, instead of an ICE. My first thoughts, having worked on cars when I was teenager, are as follows:
1. replace ICE with a 60-100 hp electric motor.
2. run the motor from batteries only.
3. Install a generator or a series of alternators to keep batties charged.

I would still use some sort of a ice to run alternator\generators. I am thinking a 10hp-18hp engine should work.

I am thinking this plan would be relativly inexpensive.

I would be very interested in other peoples thoughts.

Please feel free to email me at hdillow@columbus.rr.com

Thanks,
Herb
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Accumulated loss
by: Jerry Halstead

If the questioner is really considering foregoing a battery pack I'd suggest giving up on the whole "electric" idea in general.

Remember, each and every stage of power conversion, be it electrical or mechanical, is a point of power loss. Going from standard car with a gas engine that drives the transmission to a gas engine that runs a generator that then powers an electric motor you will be wasting more gas to obtain the same amount of forward motion.

I get a fair number of people on my evconvert.com site thinking a generator is the way to go because they can run it for hours on a gallon of gas. They aren't taking into consideration the difference in loads and, as you mention, frequent demands for very heavy current.

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