Heat from electrc car?

[chopped]

I am just curous to ask someone who owns or knows how do electic cars and the hybrids get heat. Is there sufficiant heat from the hybrid engine to heat water?
And how abou AC?
thanks...

 

[Travelover]

Heat is a problem with all-electric vehicles. I worked in the industry, though not on the electric car program. Friends that worked on the electric car said that the range dropped off like crazy when you kicked on the electric heater, which makes sense. Ditto with the AC.

On a hybrid there is still waste heat when the engine is running that you can use to heat the cab, though it is surprising how much gas it uses to keep the engine block warm. I think the Prius has some kind of a vacuum bottle arrangement to capture and hold coolant heat.

 

[Stonehaller]

On all electrics like the Tesla, they have to use the batteries for heat and A/C. In temperature extremes, it can take more power to control the air temp inside the car then to propel it down the road. Hybrids have engine heat and the inverter and motors both generate heat that is typically cooled by the glycol system. The GM Volt uses both electric and engine heat. The batteries also need temperature control which takes energy as well. Don't plan on your Volt getting the advertised 40 miles on electric only unless you are driving it on a nice 70 degree day.

 

[Kays Supply]

I am surprised they didn't use some sort of heat pump to do HVAC.

 

[ToadHill]

You would think they would be able to harness the heat created by the electric motor, have you ever touched one of those things after they have been running awhile?

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Or the brakes. Could capture a lot of heat from the brakes. Old PCC streetcars did this. Original operators on Toronto's TTC streetcar network complained about lack of heat in the cars. They weren't using the friction brakes enough but, instead tended to coast the streetcar down in speed. When told to "use" the brakes more, there was plenty of heat in the cabin.

 

[mjarrels]

I always wondered too, and how about driving at night in the rain using lights and wipers. Never hear about the range being shorter under less than ideal conditions.

mark

 

[955er]

The Tesla is the only legit electric car. Everything else we are looking at is bridge technology, like the LED digital watch. They will ultimately work all of this out...in 20 years or so.

 

[Travelover]

Or the brakes. Could capture a lot of heat from the brakes. Old PCC streetcars did this. Original operators on Toronto's TTC streetcar network complained about lack of heat in the cars. They weren't using the friction brakes enough but, instead tended to coast the streetcar down in speed. When told to "use" the brakes more, there was plenty of heat in the cabin.

They actually do, in an indirect way. When you 'brake" in an electric or hybrid car, you actually spin up the generator and charge the batteries. This electricity is later converted to heat via an electric heater.