volt question / lightning gt

[Power Junkie]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Sure, it could take a 10 minute charge. You'll have to park next to the nearest nuclear power plant, though. There's no way that common mains power can provide enough juice in 10 minutes to drive that car 250 miles.

From the article
"Included in the price is a 250kw fast-charging station for home use"

Well it does use a different battery to most other electric / hybrid cars, it may be a hard thing to believe (given most of the current tech around at the moment) but there are some clever people in the world... and i have no doubt this kind of cell has been in the pipeline for a fair while.

They explain a bit more about it here:
http://www.lightningcarcompany.co.uk/home.php

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by Power Junkie

From the article
"Included in the price is a 250kw fast-charging station for home use"

250kw is 250,000 watts, or 2,083 amps at 120v. If it's 240 dual-phase, you're still talking about 500 amps. New houses in the US have 200 amp service if the contractor isn't cheap. Old houses have 100 or even 50 amp service.

From the site:

Q. How will the Lightning be charged away from home?

A. Standard single phase home type power source can be used to charge overnight and is available just about anywhere by using the onboard charger. For a fast charge a 3 phase power supply is required and with the interest in electric powered vehicles increasing significantly, more high power charging stations will be installed. Most garage forecourt and industrial areas already have this level of high power source available and therefore can be fitted with a universal charging station.

What did they say the range is on it? I like the Chevy Volt for a usable electric car. 40 miles all-electric range, and a gas generator to make all the power it needs if you need to go another 600 miles. If I can charge at work I'll never need to get gas.

Though, I won't be able to get the Volt AND the Camaro. Damnit. Can I get a Voltmaro?

[TAG UR IT]

Can I get a Voltmaro?

Exaclty what I've been saying!!!

[swazworth]

http://camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4252

i guess it is all in what name you put on the thread.

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by swazworth

http://camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4252

i guess it is all in what name you put on the thread.

I thought I remembered this somewhere...the 250 mile and 10 minute part.

[CatiaJockey]

"250kw is 250,000 watts, or 2,083 amps at 120v." To put that into perspective, plug in 210 hair dryers and turn them all on at once. And you notice how the amps went down as volts went up... sounds good huh... just remember the power company charges you by the KW... which doesn't change no matter what voltage you throw at it. 10 minute charge..... pipe dream.

[chadrcr]

Originally Posted by CatiaJockey

"250kw is 250,000 watts, or 2,083 amps at 120v." To put that into perspective, plug in 210 hair dryers and turn them all on at once. And you notice how the amps went down as volts went up... sounds good huh... just remember the power company charges you by the KW... which doesn't change no matter what voltage you throw at it. 10 minute charge..... pipe dream.

What were you looking at when SEEing the amps go down/ volts go up?
The power company is throwing the volts, we are using the kwatts .... 120 vac should be the constant in this equation, the KWs used per hour change with the 'hair dryers' all plugged in and turned on...... check the meter outside your house/ apt, those are not volts going through it making it spin faster and charge you more....kws per hour.

[chadrcr]

Originally Posted by aston70

Watts = Amps x Volts. According to this equation, if amps go down, volts must go up if watts are to stay the same... However, I'm not sure either what he's saying since 120 volts wouldn't change in the hair dryer scenario... It shouldn't... So with more hairdryers you'd just be drawing a lot more amps, thus lots of watts... Thus meter outside spins faster. Thus more $$$ next month on your electric bill.

CatiaJockey, how is it you are saying that volts are going up?

The equation is flexible, current / resistence / power- at least one is inversely proportional.......
the electric co. is not:
one thing for sure more kws/hour = Definitely more $$$

If his/her point was it wont be cheap to charge the 'car'.

[theholycow]

I was the one who posted the math about requiring a lot of amps, and my point was that you're going to need an additional 500 amp service (minimum) installed at your house next to your existing 200 amp service if you think you're going to charge the car in 10 minutes time.

I have no idea why that other poster started talking about voltage going down. I don't think it would, but even if it did I'm not sure how it's relevant.

Either way, I can't imagine that anyone thinks that it will be free to charge, but it's probably far cheaper than $4/gallon gasoline, especially considering the additional efficiencies an electric car has. Maybe I'll take a look at my electric bill and do those calculations too, to guess how much it would cost me.

[chadrcr]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I was the one who posted the math about requiring a lot of amps, and my point was that you're going to need an additional 500 amp service (minimum) installed at your house next to your existing 200 amp service if you think you're going to charge the car in 10 minutes time.

I have no idea why that other poster started talking about voltage going down. I don't think it would, but even if it did I'm not sure how it's relevant.

Either way, I can't imagine that anyone thinks that it will be free to charge, but it's probably far cheaper than $4/gallon gasoline, especially considering the additional efficiencies an electric car has. Maybe I'll take a look at my electric bill and do those calculations too, to guess how much it would cost me.

I would rather buy American electricity than opec oil, but until it (technology) makes it to the Camaro....... I will just pretend the oil I bought came from here.

[TAG UR IT]

I think I need to start investing in quick charge electric stations. Charge $20 per ten minute "fill up."

[chadrcr]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

I think I need to start investing in quick charge electric stations. Charge $20 per ten minute "fill up."

20$ per fill up......wouldnt that be nice? Compared to $40 for ten gallons....

[Mr. Wyndham]

There's talk and discussion about swappable battery packs for cars. Not in the Volt, but for a future of all-electric vehicles (especially for long trips). You go to the station, and they swap out your battery pack for a fee. Charge it up and pop it into the next guy's car....

[swazworth]

that sucks, i wrote out a long old post, went to post, ...... computer timed out and no more post..

dragon i have heard that idea. don't think it will work because the car companies probably will not let it. i mean they would all have to get together and decide on sizes and placement of batteries and all that good stuff. since that haven't done it with the cell phone yet i'm betting they won't do it with a car.

as for the electricity bills, they are working on new solar panels that use the same kind of tech as the batteries do. no the new panels will not charge your car in 10 mins. but they could charge something else. faster and more efficiently then they would charge now. a solar panel could charge a holding pod (battery) all day long. then you could lock up your car to that, and then your card could charge in 10 mins from that. so after your start up cost. (solar panel and holding pod) you could drive your car with free power forever. so to say.....