DOC has a plug in hybrid that is charged using a diesel generator

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Batman

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#288228 15-Jun-2021 06:26

https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/300306177/department-of-conservation-caught-charging-plugin-hybrid-electric-vehicle-with-diesel-power

edit - explanation from blinkibill

"This is a bit silly. They didn’t install the generator just for the car - the system runs the entire electricity grid for the island and the car plugs into that grid.

Rakiura isn’t on the national grid."

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#2728880 15-Jun-2021 06:57

Given the circumstances, this is probably the route that results in the lowest emissions.

The generator will be operating the diesel engine at its highest efficiency. The gain from that will more than outweigh the losses associated with charging and discharging the battery and operating the electric motor.

If you need to be convinced, consider the railway locomotive application of diesel electric power units where a diesel generator on board the locomotive generates electricity which then powers the electric motor that moves the train.

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#2728881 15-Jun-2021 07:09

At least they are trying to evaluate how "going electric" will mean. Its a BETA test right....

Some could say to "us", why are we charging mobile devices using electricity when we could use a solar or dynamo device instead?

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#2728886 15-Jun-2021 07:28

I would have thought as a beta doing that with a bev rather than phev would make sense….and why don’t they just drive the car on ice mode?

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#2728887 15-Jun-2021 07:36

Ergh, why is most news these days just clickbait designed to elicit outrage... Even worse when the media is just parroting politicians with no real experts consulted.

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BlinkyBill

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#2728889 15-Jun-2021 07:38

This is a bit silly. They didn’t install the generator just for the car - the system runs the entire electricity grid for the island and the car plugs into that grid.

Rakiura isn’t on the national grid.

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#2728892 15-Jun-2021 07:49

sidefx:

Ergh, why is most news these days just clickbait designed to elicit outrage... Even worse when the media is just parroting politicians with no real experts consulted.

I suspect you know the answer, its the clickbait that drives advertising which creates revenue not "news"

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#2728894 15-Jun-2021 07:52

jpoc:

Given the circumstances, this is probably the route that results in the lowest emissions.

The generator will be operating the diesel engine at its highest efficiency. The gain from that will more than outweigh the losses associated with charging and discharging the battery and operating the electric motor.

If you need to be convinced, consider the railway locomotive application of diesel electric power units where a diesel generator on board the locomotive generates electricity which then powers the electric motor that moves the train.

you learn something every day.

so diesel generator 70% efficient, dielse engine 30% and petrol engine 20%

is that the ballpark?

if those numbers are correct -

wouldn't it be better to have an electric car powered by a diesel generator? i need one of those ...

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#2728896 15-Jun-2021 07:53

xlinknz:

I suspect you know the answer, its the clickbait that drives advertising which creates revenue not "news"

Yeah, it was a rhetorical question - still sad though.

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#2728899 15-Jun-2021 08:31

Batman:

so diesel generator 70% efficient, dielse engine 30% and petrol engine 20%

is that the ballpark?

if those numbers are correct -

wouldn't it be better to have an electric car powered by a diesel generator? i need one of those ...

No a diesel engine's peak efficiency is only about 45%, petrol is 20-35%. A generator runs at peak efficiency all the time, whereas a diesel engine driving a car directly only rarely, so typically it's about 20%. So a diesel-electric combination will be twice as efficient, less losses in generating (about 5%) and battery storage (10-20%).

This is why hybrids like the Prius (I know, petrol-electric, but the principle is the same) get so many more mpg (or use so much less L/100km) than a pure ICEV,

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#2728917 15-Jun-2021 09:44

frankv:

This is why hybrids like the Prius (I know, petrol-electric, but the principle is the same) get so many more mpg (or use so much less L/100km) than a pure ICEV,

Is the differnece REALLY that great .

Small petrol & small diesel cars can get VERY good mpg , if designed to get good mpg .
Some hybrids dont get all that great mpg .

https://www.whatcar.com/news/true-mpg-most-efficient-hybrid-cars/n19166

https://www.whatcar.com/news/true-mpg-most-and-least-efficient-cars-revealed/n14356

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#2728992 15-Jun-2021 10:38

Is it possible to carry a diesel generator in the boot to charge the car anywhere?

Say you have an EV and so do 100 other people on Easter waiting to use the charger on the way to Whitianga...

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#2729027 15-Jun-2021 11:10

Batman: Is it possible to carry a diesel generator in the boot to charge the car anywhere?

Say you have an EV and so do 100 other people on Easter waiting to use the charger on the way to Whitianga...

Isn’t that effectively how the little Nissan Note hybrids work? They’re an electric vehicle with a small battery and a generator to charge it.

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#2729045 15-Jun-2021 11:53

Batman: Is it possible to carry a diesel generator in the boot to charge the car anywhere?

Say you have an EV and so do 100 other people on Easter waiting to use the charger on the way to Whitianga...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJfkCLTMfZo

elpenguino

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#2729076 15-Jun-2021 12:59

GregV:

Batman: Is it possible to carry a diesel generator in the boot to charge the car anywhere?

Say you have an EV and so do 100 other people on Easter waiting to use the charger on the way to Whitianga...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJfkCLTMfZo

I have long thought that an EV should tow a generator to make inter city trips.

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#2729077 15-Jun-2021 13:06

They should. But don't need to tow just chuck in boot

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