What else do you drive? Add pics if you have them.

[petrified.rabbit]

i would install a miata rear end with a low resistance generator instead of a center dif.. you could probably fit one larger enough that at highway speed it could protentially produce enough electricity to power the motor, taking the batteries out of the equation. you might need to add a few hp to the motor to make up for the added drag, but i think it would be worth it.

i am not sure of the currents / amps / all that stuff with ev cars though.

(if you take that idea and sell it, i want some money too)

[Daox]

Haha, I think you just invented the perpetual motion machine rabbit, or another incarnation of it.

But Darin, you forgot to tell them the name of your electric metro, the Forkenswift! (forklift parts + suzuki swift) Dunno why, but its just an instant classic. Its fun for the whole family.

[MatchboxKiller]

I have my '00 Camaro and my girlfriends '09 G5

[thebarber]

i like the porsche rims on that rabbit!

here is the daily driver (aveo is the "family car")

[MetroMPG]

The wheels on that Yaris look great.

Interesting photography too - was that you moving a light around in a long exposure? Interesting effect.

[thebarber]

The wheels on that Yaris look great.

Interesting photography too - was that you moving a light around in a long exposure? Interesting effect.

30sec exposure + led flashlight

miata wheels - - hubcentric on a yaris.

new rims coming for the aveo though

[mikedudley17]

Question about electric cars: why can't electric ars be hooked up with alternators? Is it because it would require a large alternator, but then that would be more wieght and.... What about a series of a few alternators? Is there a difference in currents? (as you can see I'm no an electrician). It just seems like an electric car should have one, even if all it does is extend the range of the vehicle.

[serega12]

You could even install one on/by driveshaft, since it rotates almost constantly to transfer some of the kinetic energy into electric charge.

[MetroMPG]

It's a pretty common question about EV's, but cruising with an alternator/generator engaged to the drivetrain somewhere will actually reduce an electric vehicle's range.

This is because of the inefficiency / conversion losses through from mechanical -> electrical -> chemical energy. It takes more energy from the system to spin an alternator / generator than you get back from it into the battery pack.

The exception is when coasting down hill or braking, when you want to trade kinetic energy for electrical energy (a.k.a."regen" - regenerative braking).

[serega12]

Would adding solar panels to the roof be cost efficient?