JohnK:
Compact gas turbines have been available for ages.One just barely bigger than a shoebox would easily power a Volt.It would cost $250,000 however.Williams International has been making these for about 25 years — for cruise missles.They had a goal of making a model for small private airplanes by 2000 for under $100,000, but did not make it (timeline or price).

This is true, but it leaves out a subtle point. What makes automotive or stationary turbines large is the heat exchanger – something that doesn’t exist on an turbine engine that’s used in airplanes. The heat exchanger transfers some of the waste heat from the waste gas stream post turbine to the air stream post compressor. This boosts the overall efficiency of the engine at the expense of the size of the engine. Good heat exchangers typically are large, and are not easy to shrink. If you look at the Capstone turbine, you’ll notice that most of the volume of the engine is taken up by the heat exchanger.

Don J: “Self-charging” is a really stupid term. You want to charge off the grid where the power is generated much more efficiently and cheaply. Yes, the gas engine kicks in when you run out of electricity, but it is not “self-charging”.  (Quote)

Yes true for the Volt, perhaps not true for this Jaguar. Did you realize the article wasn’t about the Volt? I get the impression Jaguar wants to only run their car on electricity only in the city. Different strokes for different folks. Also not clear if you really meant “stupid term” or “stupid idea” here.

If you have the money for buying a Jag you’re probably not worried about fuel efficiency anyway.

I also have to disagree with people saying that 3-cylinder engines are rough or shaky, they can computer-design counterbalance shafts these days which smooth things out quite nicely.

Don J: “Self-charging” is a really stupid term. You want to charge off the grid where the power is generated much more efficiently and cheaply. Yes, the gas engine kicks in when you run out of electricity, but it is not “self-charging”.  (Quote)

Not if your gas engine is undersized. Then you will need fresh batteries at all times, lest you get on the highway where a lot of power is needed and your gas engine cannot sustain fast enough. So you self-charge while in the city, so you can extend your range on the highway.

This will be the dominant mode of transportation (self-charging), despite what the kool-aid drinkers might think.

Self-charging is the only way to get cheap and reliable EREVs.

k-dawg: kdawg

#94

What’s on second…