Tesla semi

[/pine]

...So how does one "hop up" an electrical engine? I'm sure you first start with hacking some control software...

Yes that's exactly right...
It's interesting to note that one of the biggest manufacturers of electric vehicles (TEXTRON) does not seem to me interested in making passenger and cargo highway vehicles...

Ez-Go (division of Textron) makes a state of the art cart (RXV) that has a controller that is highly programmable...a few remarkable things about the RXV are interesting...the cart runs on a 3 phase AC motor (48 volts)...Also the only brakes on the cart are built into the motor (regen braking)...there are no mechanical brakes on the wheels etc. at all...

On a related note...For typical electric carts (not the RXV)...there are third party controllers available that are also highly programmable...some of these third party controllers have built in interfaces and a USB port so they can be programmed with any laptop, smartphone etc...

 

[Gale Hawkins]

We have an 2007 EZGO PDS 36v DC cart with the regen braking and 2 MPH steep hill speed limited that we use more like an ATV around the place. Actually i bought it to teach the kids the rules of the road and how to drive when they were about 12. The smart controller safety features were a plus because of our hills. The controller is somewhat programmable with "chips" that are nothing more than jumper wires.

I had looked at some gas carts that I preferred but the safety features of the PDS cart when I put the kids first in my mind plus it was an easier sell to the wife.

The EV self driving vehicles should help we old guys meet up to drink coffee even after we do not remember our way home.

 

[daugen]

...So how does one "hop up" an electrical engine? I'm sure you first start with hacking some control software...

Yes that's exactly right...

I feel like the little kid asking why, why why....so what does that actually do?
It's not like an electric motor has timing issues, so other than number of seconds allowed at peak power for heat dissipation, like turbo overboost or maybe even clocking a computer chip,
what else would they control? And how. To get more power, you need to flow more current, correct? So the motor first has to be capable of flowing more current than its normal spec, and not sure of all the parameters there. Motor efficiency I think is one parameter, are some motors capable of creating more torque for the same power consumed?

 

[4570Man]

How do the self driving cars get to where they're going. GPS seems like the obvious answer. But that's leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[daugen]

How do the self driving cars get to where they're going. GPS seems like the obvious answer. But that's leaves a lot to be desired.

these are all rolling computers with serious geographical databases in them, I believe accurate down to a few feet. Yes, gps but the mapping software has to be
super accurate too. Several competing companies gathering all this street data now. Makes the stuff in our Garmins really antiquated. We have all been given turn here turn here
demands by nav systems when you know darn well you want to keep going straight. It might be a quarter mile shorter the other way but there's more to life and driving safety than just mileage for sure. And all this software is getting guinea pigged out there now.

Interesting that they are worrying about the battery drain from the computers as well as the propulsion. Probably less of an issue with a big semi but
perhaps some percentage points of efficiency in a very light car. And the age old problem of how do you get rid of the heat as performance increases.
Will be interesting to find out if Tesla is using
proprietary electric motors or the automotive equivalent of a high end Baldor.
Am thinking of repair...just how many different motors with incompatibilities will be made and how
deal stopping are the incompatibilities. Like voltage or ac/dc.

Here's how much electric power autonomous cars are using, and taking away from EV powertrains

 

[CincyFlyer]

...So how does one "hop up" an electrical engine? I'm sure you first start with hacking some control software...

Yes that's exactly right...

I feel like the little kid asking why, why why....so what does that actually do?
It's not like an electric motor has timing issues, so other than number of seconds allowed at peak power for heat dissipation, like turbo overboost or maybe even clocking a computer chip,
what else would they control? And how. To get more power, you need to flow more current, correct? So the motor first has to be capable of flowing more current than its normal spec, and not sure of all the parameters there. Motor efficiency I think is one parameter, are some motors capable of creating more torque for the same power consumed?

All manufacturers are very conservative with their settings; you can get over 1K HP out of a Tesla D model (for a short period of time!) with enough tomfoolery. And a few seconds of super-go-power is all that you can really use on the road.

 

[houstonscott]

...So how does one "hop up" an electrical engine? I'm sure you first start with hacking some control software... Yes that's exactly right... I feel like the little kid asking why, why why....so what does that actually do? It's not like an electric motor has timing issues, so other than number of seconds allowed at peak power for heat dissipation, like turbo overboost or maybe even clocking a computer chip, what else would they control? And how. To get more power, you need to flow more current, correct? So the motor first has to be capable of flowing more current than its normal spec, and not sure of all the parameters there. Motor efficiency I think is one parameter, are some motors capable of creating more torque for the same power consumed?

Sounds like great project with your 7th grade electronic class and go cart club.

 

[Redneck in training]

Electrical cars have three phase AC motors with variable frequency drives. This technology is proven in industrial environment for many years now. From small units costing few hundred to many MW size costing millions. Industrial units have 100% duty cycle even at elevated temperatures while in cars, due to limited space and mass constrains the duty cycle is way less. Top model Tesla can deliver 800HP for several minutes then the thermal protection kicks in. Tesla motor is liquid cooled.
Speaking about electric semi. I estimated if semi does 1000 000 miles at 6 mpg it will use 1000000/6x2.5=416000 dollars in fuel. That is about 4 times more than cost of average semi. Since electric power is way cheaper than diesel, electric semi makes sense despite its range limitations. I can see battery swapping being developed in the future.

 

[daugen]

600 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque
is what Volvo just announced for its Polestar hybrid.

Now as much as we all want more power, at some point, isn't this just bragging rights like Tesla sought?
I have a car and a truck that get to sixty in 7 seconds. I have another car that gets to sixty in five seconds.
I frankly can't imagine why anyone would need more acceleration than that in today's world, wanting it of course is entirely different.
Same with trucks. Who expects a semi to keep up with traffic at a light? What driver wants to subject his load to those kind of g forces anyway.
I'd think truck drivers would be a lot more concerned about maintaining speed up a long hill. And how many miles they can go, and what the cost per mile is.

 

[daugen]

Electrical cars have three phase AC motors with variable frequency drives.

thanks, didn't know this was universal. So this is the same concept as the big mining excavators ?