In article ,
Doctor Drivel wrote:

"dennis@home" wrote in message
eb.com...

it doesn't matter how powerful the engine is as long as its more than
the average for the journey. The power to accelerate doesn't come
from the engine, it comes from the battery. You can accelerate as
fast as the battery and electric motors allow. As long as you don't
do it too often and flatten the battery, then you would find it hard
going.

If the battery is depleted somewhat after acceleration the engine
provides power to the electric drive motors and to top up the batteries
very efficiently as the engine will be running at its most efficient
while doing so,

All this from 40 bhp?

unlike a directly mechanically coupled engine to wheels setup via an
inefficient and power sapping transmission. Constantly varying the
speed of an engine from near zero revs to near maximum is highly
inefficient.

Depends on the design of the engine. But 'your' one will be running at
peak revs to develop that 40 bhp. And what it can't do is charge the
battery while producing that 40 bhp to power the car along. Regardless of
what you think. As usual, you're incapable of doing simple arithmetic.

A largish car doing 70mph only uses about 20-30% of the power of the
engine. Most of the time a car's engines is way oversized and carrying
all that surplus weight. The surplus power is for acceleration.
Electric drive and kinetic brake recovery using supercapacitors and a
decent battery set can mean engines are much smaller. Having range
extenders means the engine can be built light, small and optimised to
run at its sweet revving spot.

So this car you're raving about uses super capacitors? Bit of a first for
a low priced vehicle.

BTW, you might ponder on why the Prius has had its engine power output
increased by 50% over the years. And still has poor (for its size and
price) performance on the open road.

--
*If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.