Hacker News Reader

Comment by photonbeam | Hacker News Reader

I’d have expected a range extender to be a gas or diesel generator, a bit like the bmw i3, but removable

I remember reading one of the patents ford submitted in 2018 resembling a toolbox.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34277725/ford-f-150-range...

Oddly it looks like the Dodge ramcharger is going to be an interesting version of that but the generator is not removable.

A 5kw generator is about as much as an adult can lift into a pickup truck alone. Connect it to a charge port that allows charging while moving, and you can extend range by....

If it takes you 4 hours to drive 300 miles, in that time you would have added about 60 miles. (4 hours x 5kw x 3miles per kwh)

I'm not sure this battery pack is something you could lift into the vehicle alone, either-- estimates are it's 500 pounds) So 15kW + some fuel might be possible in less heft, which could get you 2.5x the range.

Ford has a patent on this concept

I'm still waiting for EVs that allow arbitrary charging while operating to allow things like this. Or some sort of PTO (power-take-on/off) system for rapid charging. Currently, one of the fastest ways to charge many EVs is to tow it while using its regenerative brakes.

Added generators wouldn't even need to be that good to completely obliterate FUD about limited range.

> Currently, one of the fastest ways to charge many EVs is to tow it while using its regenerative brakes.

I'd be interested to know which EVs this applies to. Leaf, Bolt maybe? Regen on the Bolt is just barely over the DC fast charge rate, and the Bolt is on the low end. For something like a Tesla or any other equivalently modern EV it won't even be close.

Tesla's can charge at 75kW from regen braking... not nearly as fast as supercharging, but pretty fast I'd say.

> I’d have expected a range extender to be a gas or diesel generator, a bit like the bmw i3, but removable

Run don't walk to the patent office with that idea! If Rivian can patentent the idea of an extra battery, your invention seems much more inventive!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com