Intereseting alternative to the i3 range extender

[Westie]

Same principle as the i3 REX but this fully inegrated the ICE/Alternator/Motor, and hopefully cheaper and more practical than an i3.  They say its designed primarily for emerging markets where EV charging facilities are scarce - well,  on that bombshell I'll leave you to work out where the UK lies in the world order 


http://newsroom.nissan-europe.com/eu/en-gb/media/pressreleases/426159938/nissan-introduces-new-electric-motor-drivetrain-e-power

[noah]

Incredible amount of hype for a simple idea - as I recall way back in the 70`s American Government research recommended that this would be the best way to proceed with hybrid vehicles (pure electric drive with ICE backup) as this would be the most flexible of designs.
Hope that a van version will be available to replace my transit before I`m too old.
LPG ICE would be good.

[Philip R]

Noah,

At Cenex, Ford displayed a transit electic vehicle with a 1.0 litre 3 cylinder DI petrol engine/ generator as a battery backup. Very lighweight engine given the usual offering for an engine for a vehicle of this type. Road vehicles are now resembling the battery electric shunting locos trialled in canada. with a car sized diesel engine for battery charging.!

It means that in the winter, the engine could be used to generate some much requested heat, without using energy from the batteries ans causing range anxiety.

 For my plumbing work. such a vehicle would be ideal. All electric for local work in the spring summer. Might need the engine on longer journeys. Your customers do not like you knicking their juice via the extention lead. In the winter, want the heater on , use a nice fast warming low water capacity petrol engine. ( I Love my diesel powerred combo van, but in winter, it takes ages to heat p with the heater turned on, the engine creates so little heat on urban crawls).

Philip R

[oliver90owner]

Are the new black cabs not doing this?

[Westie]

Info for the Nissan Note e-power is on the Japanese web site now,  hope we get this in the UK, the yen to GBP price is coming out at around £13000. They call the Leaf  a Reef!  Yen to GBP price on that around £30000 which sounds around about the current UK price of the 1st  Gen.

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww3.nissan.co.jp%2Fvehicles%2Fnew%2Fnote.html%3Frstid%3D20140314rst000001002