# Probably the best range extender ever



## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

CroDriver said:


> I saw this in Frankfurt
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Had a look. WOW! That is incredible. I wonder where they are in the manufacturing/supply curve though. It appears as though they are looking for design opportunities. Not sure they are producing anything numbers yet...but would be interested to know more,, that's for sure. Nice find...


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## Bowser330 (Jun 15, 2008)

Great Find Crodriver!

I found one a while back not as good as yours though...

18kw output, 63kg

http://green.autoblog.com/gallery/fev-wankel-range-extender/

Huge doubts on production though...

It may not be as light as the wankel but its probably one of the simplest engines made and has been around forever and is still pretty available...the Volkswagen engine...

This guy used 1/2 the vw engine in his ultralight plane! 30hp...22kw!

http://www.betterhalfvw.com/engine.htm


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## BWH (Sep 26, 2008)

Freedom Motors has a 25kw, 120lb (54kg), genset as well. Check the attached PDF for details.

The engine has been emissions tested by the Institute of Transportation Studies and CARB and rated ULEV and SULEV (depending on fuel used).

They say they put a bigger version into an ACP powered civic but I haven't come across any test data for it. http://www.freedom-motors.com/hybrid.html

There must not be a huge market for these. Despite announcing they had a working product almost two years ago it still isn't in production.



> "The most significant shortfall we are currently dealing with is our inability to produced them in any significant volume. We are currently working with firms interested in setting up high-volume manufacturing capabilities."
> -Bruce Calkins, General Manager Freedom Motors


My pack is sized for 99% of the driving I do with my car now. Really long range is out though. It would be nice not to have to tow it to the next Power of DC or any other show I want to participate in. A small powerful genset and one of these http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheelpod.html would be perfect. Especially if you could flip it around and taper it down to the wheel to improve airflow around the car.


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## IamIan (Mar 29, 2009)

CroDriver said:


> I saw this in Frankfurt
> 
> 
> 
> ...



maybe I am miss reading it ...

But on that link it reads to me like 4.5kg ( DynaControl ) the control electronics + 10kg Electric Motor + 9 kg gear box + 8 kg ICE = 31.5kg = 69.3 Lbs for 15 kw continuous.


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

CroDriver:

Got any links to the wankel motor / generator unit combination?

How much does the wankel motor weigh?

Do you need the gear reduction for this application?

More pics please.

Thanks and great find. Now let's see some details.

An 80 - 100 pound range extender that produces 15kw would be nice but I keep thinking about 'power in.....power out' and the size of the Wankel that would be necessary to produce '15kw out' after efficiency degradation.

Eric


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## CroDriver (Jan 8, 2009)

IamIan said:


> maybe I am miss reading it ...
> 
> But on that link it reads to me like 4.5kg ( DynaControl ) the control electronics + 10kg Electric Motor + 9 kg gear box + 8 kg ICE = 31.5kg = 69.3 Lbs for 15 kw continuous.





> *At the bottom of this page *are some specs of the RE and some *30kW AC drive systems* at the top.
> 
> http://www.compact-dynamics.de/en/business-activities/e-mobility-electric-drive-systems.html





esoneson said:


> CroDriver:
> 
> Got any links to the wankel motor / generator unit combination?
> 
> ...


I think that it doesn't need a reduction because the RPM range of the rotary motor isn't much different from an ICE engine with one difference: 

The rotary engines efficiency doesn't drop a lot with rising RPM. 

Here's a screen shot from BHW's attached PDF document (great link btw, thanks a lot)



The efficiency of this rotary looks great, but this engine has nothing to do with the range extender I found so I don't know if that one has such a good efficiency too.

However, I would love to have a more powerful range extender and this Freedom motors 150hp-120lbs engine looks really great for this. I sent a mail to Freedom motors. Hope they want to sell it to the general public.

Btw. Am I blind or they recived a order of 900.000 motors???

http://www.freedom-motors.com/FM_PR_Receiveorders.pdf


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

I've been watching Moller for 25 years or so (remember the flying car?). The motors look good, and apparently they really have commitments now.

Doubtless you will be able to order a "replacement motor" from whatever entities sell Freedom Motor equipped whatzits.


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## Overlander23 (Jun 15, 2009)

Lotus is also working on a Range Extender. 15-30kW at around 56kg.

http://www.examiner.com/x-572-Auto-...and-new-for-fuel-saving-and-reduced-emissions

and

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f103/lotus-reveals-range-extender-engine-78356/


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