this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2026
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hmmm
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Not buying it: How would you charge (generator) and discharge (motor) the car at the same time? The electronics and software is designed to only charge the battery when parked. My car won't even shift into gear if it's plugged in.
I mean, this one is fake, but there is a company creating haluers that do pretty much this. Have a small battery they recharge with a generator. According to them, a generator is a lot more efficient and enviromentaly friendly compared to normal engine, since it runs at constant rpm.
That is any PHEV.
My understanding is that most PHEVs use a hybrid drivetrain to drive the car directly from the combustion engine.
Name and (the opposite of) shame!
You're talking about Edison Motors, right?
Yes, but I couldn't recall the name. Thanks for mentioning it.
Actually, the constant RPM ones are less efficient, the inverter generators that are able to vary with the load that are more efficient. But yes, they are better at turning the fuel into usable power. Traditional ice engines lose something like 40% of the power made just in Losses from gearing transmission axel etc. So while it may seem silly technically using a generator to charge an EV is more efficient
FWIW, people have made a real working version of this concept before.