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Vtguy802812 t1_it4vq5z wrote

It’d be cool if they could make a small horizontal version of this to act like a spoiler on a car to sustain the battery while driving.

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exipheas t1_it4yad2 wrote

Due to efficiency losses you will generate more drag than you would get electricity back to power the vehicle. Perpetual motion machines haven't been invented yet.

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Vtguy802812 t1_it55yab wrote

Not perpetual motion. Just enough energy created to increase range. Ie you drive 50 miles, but produce enough from wind to charge the battery enough to go an extra 10.

Perhaps some day wind and/or photovoltaic cells could effectively increase battery range enough to offset the costs both financially and physically.

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grassytoes t1_it59uic wrote

But it's not recouping anything. Like they said, the energy you would lose from the drag is more than the energy you'd get out of it. Even if it were 100% efficient, all it would do is not slow you down.

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Vtguy802812 t1_it5bwfb wrote

Hence why: “IT’D BE COOL”

Right now it is not feasible, perhaps one day someone will find a way to manage the drag.

It’s an theory that is being tested and studied. Look at EOEL or the Ventomobile or the Lotus Nemesis.

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grassytoes t1_it5ml1l wrote

Yes, it'd be cool, but it's not ever feasible. Not now, not with any future tech. It goes against the conservation of energy. If it worked, it would have to be a magical turbine that put out more energy than the kinetic energy it got from the wind.

The only reason regular wind turbines are useful is because the kinetic energy from natural wind is free. So we can convert a part of that to electrical energy. The car examples you gave use this free wind energy.

A turbine on the back of a car would be getting all of it's kinetic wind energy by slowing the car down and converting a portion of that lost energy to electricity.

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zoinkability t1_it5q6h1 wrote

It would violate the laws of physics. Over 100% of the power it generates would be coming from… the battery it is feeding power back to, with a whole lot of losses due to friction, etc. It is simply not possible and no amount of “it would be cool” will ever make it possible.

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