On Friday, 21 April 2017 09:58:50 UTC+1, Nightjar wrote:
On 21-Apr-17 8:47 AM, harry wrote:
On Thursday, 20 April 2017 19:24:26 UTC+1, Nightjar wrote:
On 20-Apr-17 6:18 PM, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Nightjar
wrote:

On 20-Apr-17 8:18 AM, harry wrote:
On Wednesday, 19 April 2017 19:47:29 UTC+1, Murmansk wrote:
I've just been for a ride in someone's Nissan Leaf - it was
impressive, so
quiet and amazing acceleration.

Do electric cars have a gearbox (an automatic one I presume)? Or
does the
motor just run faster the faster you go? I was told by the owner the
optimum speed for economy of battery usage is about 55mph.

It doesn't sound like it's changing gear.

Internal combustion engines are inherently unsuitable for traction,
hence
the need for gearboxes/clutches etc.
Electric motors can be designed to be ideal for traction.
Max torque at zero rpm.

I could get that with a steam engine.

And a small one at that for a car. But AIUI, it's the condenser that's
the problem.


With a 24 gallon water tank, the 1924 Doble E had a 1500 mile range and
it could move off from cold in under 30 seconds.

Drivel.
Water is not fuel.

I was answering the point about the condenser. However, recent advances
in catalytic splitting of water could make it feasible to use water as
fuel, if you really wanted to.

Drivel.
Have you never heard of the Law of Conservation of Energy?

All steam engines and boilers are inherently inefficient.
They will never come anywhere near the ICE efficiency wise.

I spent forty years running them. And getting rid of them where possible.