Conversion Question: Wind-powered Electric Car?

by Richard Smith
(Tehachapi, Ca.)

Wind Turbine

Could a wind turbine mounted on an electric car recharge the batteries?
I wonder if using the wind turbines that are used in homes in the off the grid areas would be more useful than a generator for extending an electric car's range. Of course the turbine blades would not be used, but if they were at the back end of the car lying low and the air was forced through a tunnel using a somewhat of a turbo charger looking fan to turn them, would they be able to generate the power while driving and charge the batteries for a longer run?

Hi, Richard -
Well, I haven't the slightest idea.
I'm inclined against it, though, and this is why: if your turbines are well-enough positioned to capture the wind energy produced by your car's forward progress, then that means they're also badly-enough positioned to cause a fair amount of drag.

I have one thing to say about range: most folks don't really need as much of it as they think they do - it's just that they're in the gas-guzzler habit of tanking up at the petrol pump once a week (or whatever) instead of plugging in at home every night.
I think it's possible that a lot of the "range problem" with EV's could be solved if reconsidered as a "habit problem" and attacked that way.

Regards,
Lynne