Synthetic Fuels

[Styria]

As the author says, like it or lump it, but all Electrically driven cars are probably just a few years away. It is quite obvious that local, short distance journeys will be an ideal form of propulsion, and at this stage it is only the significant additional cost that would represent an insurmountable hurdle - certainly as applicable to myself. Long Distance travel represents an entirely different issue on account of the sheer number of charging stations that would be required, plus the time it would take to "fill up" and the number of vehicles that would seek to replenish their electricity. Australia is a big country, and there are many cars using highways on a daily basis. If you purchase petrol, you're up and away in next to no time, but if you are required to sit idly for two hours, with probably dozens of cars lined up, the picture would change.

So, here we have Porsche who hope to start Synthetic Fuel trials in 2022. It sounds exciting, but will it make it into production ? A fascinating query, and it does sound exciting. So, let's wait for further news. Regards Styria

Porsche Synthetic Fuel Said To Be As Clean As EVs, Trials Start In 2022

Porsche claims that its synthetic fuel, which will enter the trial stage in 2022, will have the same CO2 output as electric cars.

www.motor1.com

 

[Helmet]

Very informative, thanks

 

[c107]

Perhaps in the future we will have a 44 gallon drum of eFuel delivered to our homes every now and again to power our classics.

 

[Patrick_R]

Interesting stuff Styria, and food for thought as well.

Synthetic fuel was invented by the Nazi’s as they did not have enough oil to refine for normal fuel, so it’s ironic that Porsche is behind the new synthetic fuels.
They probably only needed to open a few Porsche files from the 30’s & 40’s to remind them how to do it.

In regard to charging of electric vehicles, the following may be of some interest.
This is from my experiences in the Volvo engineering world.

At present, a lot of purely electric vehicles that require charging from a dedicated source, can fill from empty, to between 70-80% in roughly 30 minutes. This is due to new advancement in batteries & constantly updated firmware.

If (a big if in this country) there is a charging point available while you are grabbing a coffee, a toilet break and a cigarette break (for the smokers) this is all but done, and you will be on your way.

Most manufacturers are now heading down the path of plug in hybrid electric vehicle, or as most of you will have heard of the PHEV vehicle.

This is where you can use your solar panels (I have addressed this in an earlier post) and/or your storage battery at home. This is the only true form of green energy in this country at present to charge your vehicle.
All good. This works just like any other battery vehicle.
Depending on range of the vehicle, this may only need to be done once or twice during your normal week.

There is a big difference between the Hybrid & Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicle at present.

A hybrid uses a 4 stroke engine (in most cases) to power the motion of the vehicle.
The motor, or motors aid the drive train by supplying more Hp to the output shaft (or gear train) to increase power and assist the engine, and also to provide re generative breaking, thus charging back into the batteries.

In the driving motion using electronics, it is a motor. Whilst in the “overdrive” or driven form (going down hill or the car is off the power) the motor via electronics becomes a generator.

A PHEV has a small engine, that has no connection to the road wheels or power train at all
It is simply there as a generator to “top up” your battery when required.
We used to call this a “range extender” vehicle, of which the Holden/Chevrolet Volt, was the very first.

The only form of driving motion a PHEV has is purely with motors attached to the wheel hubs for the motion of the vehicle.

This type of vehicle could drive all the way around the country, if needed using its small engine to keep the batteries charged to drive the motors attached to the wheel hubs, but that is not really how it was intended.
It mainly serves as a back up on board generation system, if you do have to go past a massive queue waiting at the one and only charge point on the open highways.

However, there are now quite a few charging points pretty much everywhere dotted up and down the Easter seaboard.

Just an FYI.
We all use the terms motor & engine to describe what powers our cars.
In fact they are very different, and in this now modern world, it is very important to cross our T’s as such and dot our I’s.

An engine burns a fuel to produce horsepower
A motor turns a flow of electrons into horsepower.

I’m a stickler for this, my old FC has a grey engine. But every man and his dog knows it aa a grey motor.

 

[Patrick_R]

Brian would have seen this a few times on the Rolls-Royce forum where I have posted quite a bit on Electric & battery vehicles.
The first pic is from1912.
The second pic is modern, the clothes have changed but the technology is pretty much identical.

Interestingly the main driving forces behind these pre WWI electric cars were
Mr Hertz (who would find the worlds largest vehicle hire company)
&
Mr Exide, who without him, the lead acid battery would not be where it is today.

 

[Patrick_R]

Gents,
I think you will find the below image very interesting when it comes to size and performance of modern motors.

The first image is a new motor called an Axial Flux Induction Motor.
Very different to the way we all see electric motors.
Very small and very compact, but pack a hell of a punch.
This is the type of motor some are using in the latest PHEV’S, and would be directly coupled to the drive wheel.
It can either drive the vehicle or charge the batteries.

The second pic is a typical hybrid type drive train With the motor between the engine and the transmission.
Here it is ready to drive, or to charge.

 

[sean sherry]

Gents,
I think you will find the below image very interesting when it comes to size and performance of modern motors.

The first image is a new motor called an Axial Flux Induction Motor.
Very different to the way we all see electric motors.
Very small and very compact, but pack a hell of a punch.
This is the type of motor some are using in the latest PHEV’S, and would be directly coupled to the drive wheel.
It can either drive the vehicle or charge the batteries.

The second pic is a typical hybrid type drive train With the motor between the engine and the transmission.
Here it is ready to drive, or to charge.

View attachment 22102View attachment 22103

 

[sean sherry]

Fascinating...... I am now getting more convinced that the future is Electric .... Both Toyota and Tesla have new Re-designed Motors now in production. Fully explained in a Video on the Model 3 Tesla. I wonder if the Evens design has/had the Back EMF at higher speeds that Tesla had to over come ? Patrick ??

 

[Patrick_R]

Hi Sean,

I don’t have any insight into the Tesla engineering world.
But a very interesting question that I hope someone can answer for us.

 

[BenzBoy]

Hopefully my new diesel will see me through a few good years before the curtain falls.
Had to get a new wagon to go with the new pup; Miss Georgie.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Patrick_R]

Modern diesels are super clean Brian.
Great choice.

Pics of Miss Georgie?

Oh,
And we are still waiting of pics of your other car

 

[Michel]

Modern diesels are super clean Brian.
Great choice.

Pics of Miss Georgie?

Oh,
And we are still waiting of pics of your other car

I'll second that (on both counts)

 

[Patrick_R]

Gee Michel, Brian just doesn’t respect our feelings does he

 

[Michel]

Gee Michel, Brian just doesn’t respect our feelings does he

 

[Patrick_R]

We always seem to be waiting for Brian Michel.
I would have thought we were his top priority?

What else could possibly be taking preference over us?

 

[Michel]

We always seem to be waiting for Brian Michel.
I would have thought we were his top priority?

What else could possibly be taking preference over us?

I'm not sure Pat...
The professor does have a few magnificient vehicles incluing the one pictured here.
Maybe that'll get him to read our requests

 

[Patrick_R]

You are spot on Michel.
We had better cut him some slack.

Great pic Michel.
Thanks for sharing this one.

 

[Styria]

I suspect his Leica has spat the dummy but, then again, Miss George might be taking up all his time. Another theory - he might be in a fight with the Service Manager because the engine oil light might be on at the most inopportune times. Well I guess, we just don't know ! Regards. Styria

 

[BenzBoy]

Far more prosaic than all that; just flat out with work and renovations at home (almost complete) but just to keep you all in the loop here is a picture of Miss Georgie. No issues with the E Class. Its behaviour has been impeccable but then I have done just over 200 ks in it so I would expect it to behave.

 

[Patrick_R]

Beautiful pup Brian.