A tiny problem with electric cars is that you have to recharge them. Now many people use their car to go to work. And at their workspace, in the parking lot, there is no electricity infrastructure where they can recharge their batteries. So simply make the batteries of a one-seater commuter car removable.
Please have a look at the car in the links.
1. These batteries can be taken out and put in a small travel bag on wheels, you know like a samsonite travel bag. You take the batteries to your office, and there you plug them in. Each battery weighs 10kg or so, and the carriage on wheels is electric too. So you can easily carry it around.
2. The big advantage is that you can leave out batteries if you're only going for a small trip, which makes the car more lightweight and hence more efficient. For short trips only, why carry all the heavy batteries with you? Leave some at home to recharge, etc... Or leave a set of batteries overnight in your office for the next day, and one set at home, and one in your car. That way you can easily commute.
Maybe this is handy. But feasible for a one-seater only.-- django, May 20 2006 The car seen from the front http://i3.photobuck...tscythbluefront.jpgIt is very sexy, I know. [django, May 20 2006] The car seen from the back http://i3.photobuck...tscythblueback2.jpgThe back has even more appeal. [django, May 20 2006] Even the batteries are hip http://i3.photobuck.../scythbatteries.jpgHip batteries. [django, May 20 2006] (?) Carriage http://www.altmanlu...onite_373111101.jpgSomething like this, but then a bit sturdier, and with a small electric motor [django, May 20 2006] Tango http://www.gizmag.com/go/3069/Amongst other options, a removable battery pack that you can change in about ten minutes. [DrCurry, May 20 2006] STEM http://www.tuvie.co...-urban-environment/cool trike. A fairing would be nice [afinehowdoyoudo, Mar 03 2010] How much range are you getting from a 10kg battery pack?
My prius has a 40kg battery pack, and on pure electric its range is estimated at less than two kilometers.
The battery pack for the tZero weights almost 500 kilograms.
The battery pack for a Corbin Sparrow is 236 kilos.-- Galbinus_Caeli, May 20 2006 There are forklifts that can do this already, so it's obviously feasible to have a car with removable batteries. You won't be carrying them around in Samsonite, though. Batteries to power a vehicle are heavy. They're a large part of the counterweight for the forklift.-- NoOneYouKnow, May 20 2006 Mm, there's some confusion. Galbinus Caeli: the car will have 10 batteries or so, each weighing 10 kilos. You can take them out one after the other. NoOneYouKnow: you would be taking out 5 batteries at a time or so; that would be 50 kilos. A sturdy samsonite carriage can easily carry 50 kilos, I think. (see link) for what I mean with this "carriage" thing. I don't know what it's called in English.-- django, May 20 2006 So a hundred kilos of batteries. Kind of like carrying a corpse into work with you every day.
And still that is less than half of the battery pack of the tiny little corbin sparrow.
Tell me again why this is better than an extension cord?-- Galbinus_Caeli, May 20 2006 //You take the batteries to your office, and there you plug them in.//
I can't see any workplace liking the idea of suplying that much electricity for free.-- RobertKidney, May 20 2006 Somewhat Baked, according to this piece on the Tango (see link). Though I have to admit your design is waaaay cooler. And I like the idea of the battery being made up of small units, to make changing easier.
"Shopkeeper, 2,000 double-A batteries, please."-- DrCurry, May 20 2006 Yeah, forklifts change out batteries, but only in a few places. It's a tricky, heavy hoist, and protective gear is worn. Lead-acid batteries are very bad things to drop. You might be able to develop service stations that have a drive-up hoist and an exchange service, but I'd not try it at home or work.-- baconbrain, May 20 2006 If a battery with enough juice to be useful would fit in a tote bag, we wouldn't be in an oil crisis.-- AutoMcDonough, Mar 03 2010 random, halfbakery