Carry a generator?
So I looked up some numbers. A Tesla does around 5 km per kw-h. It will be worse off road but let’s use that. A small but high quality generator will use 0.5 liters per kw-h.
So that works out to getting 10 km per litre. So you end up carrying at least a 5 kW generator and the same amount of fuel as the other guy driving a diesel.
Just doing some quick back of the napkin calculations here. Take a Tesla Model S battery pack for example - 85KWH and stuck it in your outback EV. Say you drove around for however long and used half its capacity one day and needed to charge that out in the sticks. Say you’re carrying a 3KVA genset for arguments sake as this would be close to being the largest genset you’d carry if your loaded with all your other gear. Your 3KVA can deliver 2.4KW (Assume a power factor of unity for the calculation). Also assume 100% efficiency for the sake of making it easy. With the genset running full tilt you now need to run it for just shy of 18 hours to charge the half flat battery pack up. Fuel usage is around 1.78 litres per hour in a Honda EU30iS gen so that’s around 32 litres (2 tankful) to do. Even running it all night wouldn’t get you up to capacity to drive the same distance the next day, not to mention the pick axe I’d bury in the guys head for running his genset all night.
In reality I’d add 20% to these figures for loses, etc but it proves that this isn’t a viable option. Fast EV chargers have huge current carrying capacities and a gen small enough to carry isn’t going to work.
Might as well take the ICE vehicles out.
If you need to contact me please email homestarrunnerau@gmail.com - thanks - Gav.
Yeah, I agree carrying a generator isn't a practical answer for extreme remote travel.
Mind you, this thread is about EV trucks, which will have longer ranges than cars like the Tesla, maybe twice the Tesla S's 450 km real world range. And EVs can recharge from any power point, not just a charger, but it takes a lot longer.
The remote fuel thing is a bit of a red herring anyway. EVs will initially be used in urban areas and on major highways, where recharging isn't a problem.
Remote travel will remain ICE until there are roadhouses with charging points.
I looked at a YouTube of a bloke who did the math on how heavy a battery would be to get truck to AFAIR 800 kms.
The battery would weigh something like 5 tonnes.
He pointed out that with axle limits etc for the USA that it would make along distance truck uneconomic.
regards PhilipA
You need of course to adjust your planning and driving. Just as with an EV on the road, you don't drive for, let's say, five hours in a stretch but will make room for a 15-20 min break every couple of hours recharging your vehicle whilst grabbing a coffee and having a pee. The slight delay in time is easily offset by the fact that you will be arriving much more relaxed and less tired with the additional benefit of being more alert whilst driving.
On an overland trip you will plan you route accordingly. Besides, how will you be doing 2000 km outside civilisation without additional fuel supply in an unmodified vehicle? Playing the 'advocatus diaboli' here one could argue to carry along a spare battery pack on a tralier (mind you, the Cybertruck has a 7 t towing capacity) will give you the additional range you are feeling is lacking. Carrying a generator is certainly an obsolete thought as it defies the whole point of an EV. Once again, where there is a fuel pump there will be electricity that can even charge your battery. Any power outlet will do and I doubt that all but the remotest servo will be running manually powered fuel pumps.
Another point that needs considering is that the 'fuel' consumption even of an EV will be somewhat higher when doing slow moving or offroad work, but it will not increase to the same degree as in an ICE-vehicle.
Overall, there might be some specialist applications where ICE-vehicles still may have their place, but these are few and will be taken over by EVs as well in due course.
Johannes
There are people who spend all weekend cleaning the car.
And there are people who drive Discovery.
And exactly where are these magical recharging stations (and coffee for that matter) 1000km or more off the beaten track? 🧐
Still haven’t explained how you can do long distance remote touring - where there are recharge stations isn’t remote by any stretch. Some places I go for long weekends are 100’s of KM from the nearest power pole.
If you need to contact me please email homestarrunnerau@gmail.com - thanks - Gav.
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