Electric Car Charges Itself On-the-Go

Electric Car Charges Itself On-the-Go ENERGY Alternative Fuels 17-3-22 Jake Langer converted a 1982 Chevrolet Chevette into an electric car that's powered by a 40 hp DC electric motor and is equipped with a home-built turbine in front that charges the car's batteries on-the-go. A large air scoop up front funnels air into the all-aluminum turbine. Air is forced down and against nine rotating paddles that power two alternators, one mounted on each side of the turbine. They, in turn, charge four 12-volt batteries that mount in place of the engine. A Briggs & Stratton gas engine and a 24-volt airplane genera-tor are mounted in place of the car's back seats and are used to recharge five more batteries mounted at the back of the car. The 40 hp electric motor connects to the car's 4-speed transmission. "The efficient design of the turbine is the key. It creates 15 to 18 hp at 40 mph. The turbine is beveled so that air goes in without any back pressure. As the rotating paddles release air they create a vacuum that pulls more air through the opening in front. I've only driven my electric car at speeds up to 50 or 60 mph, but I'm sure it could go 75 er 80 mph. It'll go twice as far as any other electric car because the turbine constantly recharges the batteries. "The 40 hp DC electric motor cost about $1,500. It weighs only 105 lbs. My electric car weighs less than it did when it had an engine and full tank of gas. The car originally had an automatic transmission. I re-placed it with the 4-speed transmission because it's lighter and smaller. It weighs only 40 lbs. compared to 100 lbs. for the automatic transmission. When the front batteries run low I can simply plug them into a battery charger." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jake Langer, Truck Utilities Mfg. Co., 2370 English St. at Hwy. 36, St. Paul, Minn. 55109 (ph 612 484-3305).

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