The ElectriCar Design
The three primary design issues to solve when building the ElectriCar, a vehicle that gets better than 100 MPG AFTER two hours of running on batteries, include:
1) make the vehicle light enough yet strong enough (READ MORE),
2) make the vehicle as aerodynamic as possible yet comfortable for every-day use (READ MORE),
3) create a drive train that uses energy in the most efficient manner (READ MORE).
Explanations of Demonstrated Solutions
1) make the vehicle light enough yet strong enough. Advanced-composite construction allows a 50% reduction in body structure weight while providing improved crash protection, improved stiffness and less than half the number of body parts. Using the style of Indianapolis race cars allows optimum aerodynamic shape with a steel cage construction underneath the skin. A vehicle curb weight of 1,250 lbs allows easy acceleration with minimal power. Having a long wheel base and the wheels outside the fuselage provides a stable, quiet ride.
2) make the vehicle as aerodynamic as possible yet comfortable for every-day use, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) studies show the vehicle to have less than half the aerodynamic drag of the 2006 Corvette (equivalent flat plate area of 15 square feet, compared with the Corvette's 32 square feet). Our goal is to need 5 HP or less to drive 60 MPH on level ground. The ElectriCar fuselage provides 56" front shoulder room, the same as two first-class airline seats and comparable to many smaller automobiles being currently produced. Four doors provide easy access for passengers and back seat storage.
3) create a drive train that uses energy in the most efficient manner. The most efficient setup for the drive train involves two Etek 48 volt, 8 hp continuous and 20 hp peak electric motors connected directly to a lightweight automotive transaxle. Axles attach the differential to the wheels. To further reduce weight and friction, reverse gear and 1st gear are removed. Reverse is accomplished by using a reverse solenoid switch that reverses the polarity of the wires. The batteries store 15 kWh, enough to drive several hours. When needed a separate 20 hp rotary engine drives a generator to charge the batteries. The vehicle plugs into a household outlet to be fully charged each morning, the cabin preheated or cooled, and the batteries kept at a nominal temperature. 15 kWh of electricity delivered to a home or business costs about $1, much lower than the $27 it costs to use 9 gallons (at $3 per gallon) of gasoline in three hours of typical driving.
