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Charging electric car

obiwancanoli
Explorer
Explorer
With the continued proliferation of electric cars, I wonder if RV manufacturers are working toward a way my RV can charge a Tesla, or other electric vehicle, while plugged into shore power, or on the road while being towed...?

Alternatively, can my current RV be modified to allow for this?

I wonder if there's anything on the horizon, or that has been published that you lnow of, that speaks to this eventual advance?
72 REPLIES 72

Harvey51
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the facts in familiar units, Reisender!

On the regeneration braking, kinetic energy of the moving car is converted to electric energy by the motor and that energy must be used to charge the battery or be converted to heat to dissipate.
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
JRscooby wrote:
JaxDad wrote:


Mechanical reason # 1, EV's have motors connected directly to the wheels, if the wheels turn, so do the motors.


Your point? I know of applications where motors, and even more generators, spin with no electrical power or load applied. Maybe some friction in the bearings, the power needed to start/stop the mass spinning but don't see any problem unless the speed gets to high. And with direct drive, the only way to overspeed the motor would be to tow at higher speed than the car was designed to operate.


Reisender wrote:


I don't know what happens when neutral is selected in our EV's but it is definitely a free wheeling feel. One can shift back and forth on the fly while moving. As soon as it is in drive you can feel the regen. I have no idea what is happening mechanically though. No idea if it could be harmed while towing.


I would think that a clutch or mechanical disconnect between motor and wheel would be a unnecessary place for wear. All that would be needed to freewheel would be disconnect electricity from motor. The motor would still be making electricity, but without the resistance of battery, or any other load, it would be same as freewheeling.

And the car has to be on and running or it applies the parking pall.


Could you explain? With direct drive any time the wheels stop, like at a light, the motor is not "running" Does the pawl engage at a stopsign?


Good morning. Yah. It might be a bad choice of words on my part as far as โ€œrunnjngโ€. So this is what happens in both our cars. Different brands. The one car literally has a key. You can not select neutral without having the key on and the car energized. No key and it is in park. The other car just senses the proximity of the key and allows the car to be enabled or energized by pushing an in button. Then you can select drive reverse or neutral. Both cars are first generation EVโ€™s. Eg four or five years old. Things may have changed. Both have been flawless. Only maintenance has been 3 jugs of washer fluid during that time. Coming up on wipers for the one though. Tires in a couple years.

Hope that helps.

JRscooby
Explorer II
Explorer II
JaxDad wrote:


Mechanical reason # 1, EV's have motors connected directly to the wheels, if the wheels turn, so do the motors.


Your point? I know of applications where motors, and even more generators, spin with no electrical power or load applied. Maybe some friction in the bearings, the power needed to start/stop the mass spinning but don't see any problem unless the speed gets to high. And with direct drive, the only way to overspeed the motor would be to tow at higher speed than the car was designed to operate.


Reisender wrote:


I don't know what happens when neutral is selected in our EV's but it is definitely a free wheeling feel. One can shift back and forth on the fly while moving. As soon as it is in drive you can feel the regen. I have no idea what is happening mechanically though. No idea if it could be harmed while towing.


I would think that a clutch or mechanical disconnect between motor and wheel would be a unnecessary place for wear. All that would be needed to freewheel would be disconnect electricity from motor. The motor would still be making electricity, but without the resistance of battery, or any other load, it would be same as freewheeling.

And the car has to be on and running or it applies the parking pall.


Could you explain? With direct drive any time the wheels stop, like at a light, the motor is not "running" Does the pawl engage at a stopsign?

joebedford
Nomad II
Nomad II
bdosborn wrote:
Why not just convert ecar units to gas car units? Much easier to relate to for most people
As long as you use metric units.

bdosborn
Explorer
Explorer
Harvey51 wrote:
โ€œone killowatt gets you about 6 ish kilometers in most EV's. โ€
Unit confusion in this topic!

The kilowatt is not a unit of energy. It is a unit of power - how fast energy is consumed. Analogous to a gasoline carโ€™s gallons per hour.

The unit of electric energy is the kilowatt hour. Analogous to gas carโ€™s gallon of gas.

Driving an electric car a kilometre requires some amount of energy. How many kilowatt hours is it? How much does a kilowatt hour (KWH) cost? This is indicated on any electricity bill. It may be ten cents plus another ten cents delivery charge.


Why not just convert ecar units to gas car units? Much easier to relate to for most people:

746 watts = 1 hp
1 kw-hr = 0.03 gallons of gas

Bruce
2010 6.5'X11' TTT - Boxcar
Custom Frame, Poptop, AC, Espar Diesel Furnace, HW Heater, Sink, Shower, 12V-120V, LED Lights, TV and XM Radio, DVD Player, 300W PV Panels, PD 9140 Charger, Tongue Box, Filon Exterior, 1000W Generator, Patient Wife
Boxcar Build

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
Mike134 wrote:
There's always this method

https://insideevs.com/news/382196/raptor-charge-model-3-towing/

Made it a clicky
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

Mike134
Explorer
Explorer
There's always this method

https://insideevs.com/news/382196/raptor-charge-model-3-towing/
2019 F150 4X4 1903 payload
2018 Adventurer 21RBS 7700 GVWR.

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
time2roll wrote:
No EV has a mechanical disconnect. If the wheels turn, the motor turns.

I keep hoping someone will take the risk on a well used and cheep EV and go cross country and post a report.


The original 2011 Leafs are on cars.com for around 5 to 7000 bucks. We need to find a member with 7000 to spare and โ€œhook it upโ€. :). Not me. We kinda got used to trailering now. I donโ€™t think I would want to go back to 4 down.

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
No EV has a mechanical disconnect. If the wheels turn, the motor turns.

I keep hoping someone will take the risk on a well used and cheep EV and go cross country and post a report.

Reisender
Nomad
Nomad
JaxDad wrote:
JRscooby wrote:
time2roll wrote:
There are exactly ZERO EVs rated to be towed 4 down.


And nobody ever tows a vehicle that is not "rated" to tow? And unlike ICE vehicles where the transmission probably does not lubricate when driven from wheels, nobody has pointed out a mechanical reason a EV can not be towed.


Mechanical reason # 1, EV's have motors connected directly to the wheels, if the wheels turn, so do the motors.


I don't know what happens when neutral is selected in our EV's but it is definitely a free wheeling feel. One can shift back and forth on the fly while moving. As soon as it is in drive you can feel the regen. I have no idea what is happening mechanically though. No idea if it could be harmed while towing. And the car has to be on and running or it applies the parking pall.

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
JRscooby wrote:
time2roll wrote:
There are exactly ZERO EVs rated to be towed 4 down.


And nobody ever tows a vehicle that is not "rated" to tow? And unlike ICE vehicles where the transmission probably does not lubricate when driven from wheels, nobody has pointed out a mechanical reason a EV can not be towed.


Mechanical reason # 1, EV's have motors connected directly to the wheels, if the wheels turn, so do the motors.

JoeH
Explorer III
Explorer III
JRscooby wrote:
time2roll wrote:
There are exactly ZERO EVs rated to be towed 4 down.


And nobody ever tows a vehicle that is not "rated" to tow? And unlike ICE vehicles where the transmission probably does not lubricate when driven from wheels, nobody has pointed out a mechanical reason a EV can not be towed.

So I sent an email to Tesla to ask about their new pickup truck and if it will be towable 4 down behind our motorhome. First response from them was , what do you mean by towable 4 down ? Next email I explained how I tow my F150 behind our motorhome and wanted to know if the new cybertruck will support that. Their response was that none of there current vehicles could be towed 4 down as it would burn out the motor(s) , but they didn't have any information on the capability of the new truck. I responded that how could they be taking orders on a new vehicle when they don't even have specifications on that its' capabilities are. I imagine it will be the same-- no 4 down towing.
Joe
2013 Dutch Star 4338- all electric
Toad is 2015 F-150 with bikes,kayaks and Harley aboard

JRscooby
Explorer II
Explorer II
time2roll wrote:
There are exactly ZERO EVs rated to be towed 4 down.


And nobody ever tows a vehicle that is not "rated" to tow? And unlike ICE vehicles where the transmission probably does not lubricate when driven from wheels, nobody has pointed out a mechanical reason a EV can not be towed.

philh
Explorer II
Explorer II
time2roll wrote:
There are exactly ZERO EVs rated to be towed 4 down.

But there are hybrids that can be towed 4 down