• Smuuthbrane@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    I’ve legitimately had someone suggest adding a small wind turbine to a car to generate power to charge the car as it’s moving.

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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      22 hours ago

      You’re eating the air resistance anyway so probably not the worst idea if it generates a more than negligible amount.

      • Martin@feddit.nu
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        21 hours ago

        It will increase air resistance, so you don’t gain anything (a turbine will need more power to spin when there is an electric load).

        • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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          19 hours ago

          It will increase air resistance,

          Not if you position it, say, in front of the car so that you’re getting energy without getting hit without much additional force. If you somehow don’t need to see, the whole front of the car can be turned into a turbine. Now obviously we’re not making a perpetual motion machine here, but this could theoretically be the air resistance equivalent of regenerative braking.

          • Balder@lemmy.world
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            12 hours ago

            It doesn’t work because the car’s front is shaped to minimize drag, and a turbine would add drag — forcing the motor to work harder to maintain speed. Turbines generate energy by resisting airflow, not letting it slide past. So you’re not harvesting free energy; you’re paying for it with more fuel or battery.

      • FelixCress@lemmy.world
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        21 hours ago

        You have just invented a perpetuum mobile machine. The turbine will power the car which, whilst moving, will in turn power the turbine. Pure genious.