Cor van de Water via EV wrote:
Regarding recharging while being towed: I have at some point (a couple years ago) considered buying a Leaf in Los Angeles and partly driving, partly flat-towing it back to the Bay Area. I already realized that you don't really need to stop for charging if you use on-road regen charging while being towed for part of the trip and driving the EV for other parts, starting with a fully charged vehicle and if there is an overnight stop then that is also a natural moment to get the EV recharged without taking extra recharge time. However, I ended up with the need to transport the Leaf by myself earlier this year, so I used a tow dolly all the way instead.
Here's a related idea that I keep thinking about: A few people have built "pusher" trailers. The trailer is really the front clip of a front-wheel drive car, complete with ICE, automatic transmission, and transaxle. The throttle and ignition switch are remoted so they can be operated from the driver's seat.
To take a long trip with your EV, connect the pusher trailer to a trailer hitch. Start the ICE, put it in Drive, and go! When the ICE is idling, it just creeps forward, like any car with an automatic transmission. Your EV's brakes can easily hold it back. On the freeway where you need help, use the ICE's throttle to push your EV and control your speed.
Obviously, you'd limit the ICE throttle to restrict how much push the trailer can produce. 100-200 pounds thrust should be all you'd need for a normal EV, and that isn't enough to cause braking or handling problems with a 3000 lbs EV. And, you certainly wouldn't use it down hills or in slippery conditions.
-- The problem in this business isn't to keep people from stealing your ideas: It's to *make* them steal your ideas! -- Howard Aiken -- Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
