Why isn’t this a thing??

[mailmannz]

There is probably a very good reason for this and my puny non-technical mind can’t wrap itself around this BUUUUUUUT given a dynamo is just a spinning top with a magnet and copper wire how come there aren’t these things on EV cars to put energy back in to the battery??

Given every car has 4 potential electricity generating wheely thingies spinning around at high speed there must be a very good reason why this isn’t a thing??

Unless I just happen to be the very first person to think of this and now someone is going to steal my idea and make billions from it? ??

 

[Robf]

There is probably a very good reason for this and my puny non-technical mind can’t wrap itself around this BUUUUUUUT given a dynamo is just a spinning top with a magnet and copper wire how come there aren’t these things on EV cars to put energy back in to the battery??

Given every car has 4 potential electricity generating wheely thingies spinning around at high speed there must be a very good reason why this isn’t a thing??

Unless I just happen to be the very first person to think of this and now someone is going to steal my idea and make billions from it? ??

There is, its called regen, every ev does it during deceleration. you can also adjust the level

 

[Gomev]

There is probably a very good reason for this and my puny non-technical mind can’t wrap itself around this BUUUUUUUT given a dynamo is just a spinning top with a magnet and copper wire how come there aren’t these things on EV cars to put energy back in to the battery??

Given every car has 4 potential electricity generating wheely thingies spinning around at high speed there must be a very good reason why this isn’t a thing??

Unless I just happen to be the very first person to think of this and now someone is going to steal my idea and make billions from it? ??

Basically it costs energy just to spin up the alternator before getting anything out of it. You use more energy spinning it than you get out.
This is part of the perpetual motion/free energy stuff that gets touted around as clickbait.

For a full explanation, and this guy is very good at explaining stuff have a look at this. Jump to about 21:20 for a demo, but the rest is good if you have the patience.

 

[mailmannz]

Ok...so not quite the same as regent or spinning alternators (as the wheels are already spinning for you). Ill have a nosey at your video a bit later on Gomev

 

[Bluesparky]

great video, very well explained

 

[Andrew Sinclair]

One of the basic rules of physics, energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change form e.g. from chemical (battery) to kinetic (moving car) etc

 

[Gomev]

Ok...so not quite the same as regent or spinning alternators (as the wheels are already spinning for you). Ill have a nosey at your video a bit later on Gomev

The wheels are spinning as they have energy supplied to them. In order for them to additionally spin the alternator, as well as move the car would require more energy. More energy than the dynamo would create. Think of it like driving on the level then having to go uphill, it has to do more work so more energy needed.

Just think if this was even remotely 'a thing' (it's not) that maybe Tesla, or any of the EV manufacturers may have thought about it some time ago.

 

[mailmannz]

My puny male lizard brain doesnt want to accept this cant be a thing...while the more rational side of my brain (also infinitely smaller than the lizard part of my brain) accepts that regen is closer to what Im thinking about

 

[Cocijo]

Dynamo? What’s a dynamo? ???
Yep, someone is going to steal that idea and make billions for sure, unless….they ever read anything about an EV and how it works.

 

[slmorgan42]

This chat made me think of this Simpsons episode.


Not sure everyone on here is old enough to remember having one of these on their bike lol

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Great question, great answers, thats what this forum should be about.