Morgan Entering the Ring

Finkenbusch · 07-24-2008, 05:54 AM

The british Producer Morgan enters with a interesting roadster concept:
Sorry - it is at the moment hydrogen based BUT:

- uses in-wheel-motors
- uses capacitors for recuperation of breaking power

http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/lifecar/Low.pdf

Morgan is not somebody but a well established traditional british company producing THEMSELVES roadsters by handcraft since generations.

A s much as I would like to see Morgan to turn to 100 % EV - Tesla should consider the modern technology of in-wheel-motor and capacitors.

malcolm · 07-24-2008, 07:00 AM

But there is also a lot to be said for Tesla seeing just how far they can push their own technology and existing patents. After all, that's where drivetrain 1.5 came from Tesla Motors - touch

The big advantage of this has been the reduced complexity and increased reliability of the transmission through removing the clutch and one set of cogs. Going for (at least) two hub motors would represent an increase in mechanical and control complexity.

Tesla already have a wealth of development data from the Roadster project and they would be crazy to cast that aside and start all over again by making radical changes to the drivetrain.

And in any case, radical change is unneccessary if there is already room for performance improvements.

Take the existing ESS. Back in April 2007 Martin said that Tesla "deliberately chose lithium ion cells with a slightly lower capacity than the largest cells available, because these smaller (and more mature) cells have better long-term durability and higher tolerance for abuse." Tesla Motors - think

At the time I speculated that they were sticking with the 18650 format 2.2Ah cells rather than risking the (then) newer 2.9Ah (or the newly-born 3.6 Ah).

But these cells could be sufficiently durable in time for Whitestar, not to mention the Roadster 2.0. And 3.6Ah cells could theoretically increase the Roadster's range to 360 miles!

Now I'm sure that Tesla have people looking at a range of energy storage technologies as they develop Whitestar. Although capacitors can offer great power density, levels of energy density and self-discharge are not so good at present.

In the meantime, there's plenty of life in the existing tech yet.

Edited to Add: Panasonic's original announcement back in Jan 07 Panasonic Develops Li-ion Rechargeable Battery with Greatly Increased Capacity -- Tech-On!

WarpedOne · 07-24-2008, 08:57 AM

>> Tesla should consider the modern technology of in-wheel-motor and capacitors.

We will talk about in-wheel motos when somebody demonstrates with comercial products that they work for houndreds of thousands of miles. For time being it seems they are not durable and reliable enough.

Current LIIon batteries are able to handle all power needs in a 200kW car. Your obsession with powersurges while doing regen is another theoretical masturabtion. In real world you must not do such strong regen anyway or the car will loose traction and stability. And 200kW is plenty of regen power anyway.