EP Tender - reminds me of something

[kevm14]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014021 ... dailydrive

What could it be?

Anyone who thinks this is a good idea, who has an EV, but who doesn't already have a Chevy Volt, ought to be shot.

[Fast_Ed]

There might be room in the market for this.

Remember the oft-recited mantra of "you'll have to have a second car for road trips" ? This gives those people the option of merely storing a trailer for those mythical long road trips, rather than registering and inspecting a new car.

Is it better for the environment? Definately not. Small engines are known to be gross polluters.

However, I have a hard time believing they would actually be used as range extenders. I bet they will be stored at the back of the garage, electric car used for its intended purpose (commuting), and the road trips never actually get taken. Just like people who buy volts, but almost never need to buy gasoline.

It's a way to combat the psychological problem of 'range anxiety' without actually towing around a gas engine all the time.

[kevm14]

That is an interesting (and annoying) perspective.

I hadn't considered the pure marketing angle.

[Fast_Ed]

This is linked from your EB Tender article, and it's pretty amusing:
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013120 ... /131209914

Saving the world, one criminal act at a time.

[kevm14]

It's a new problem. We have ways to store large amounts of electricity in things that are very mobile (unless you need to go farther than 100 miles, lol).

[Fast_Ed]

Plus, it probably doesn't hurt that this thing would probably work as a backup generator as well. Certainly a consideration in the Northeast US.. and many other parts of the country/world.

I've seen these a bunch of times before, drawn on napkins and mentioned in news articles. It's about time someone finally decided to sell one.

Of course, if it were to be designed for actual use, I'd rather see it as a 'Hitch box' rather than a wheeled trailer to avoid complications.. Not sure what the tongue weights on those EV's tends to be though......

I think Class I is like 100 lbs?

[kevm14]

One of those Honda inverter generators is all I need I think.

[Fast_Ed]

But you don't have an EV to tow it with?

[kevm14]

My cars are powered by gas. I just want a generator for my house for some reason.

[Fast_Ed]

looks like those are 46 lbs. So easily within class I tongue weight.

Of course, 2000W might not be enough to keep the batteries charged at highway speeds.