[ExI] gas prices

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of Rafal Smigrodzki via extropy-chat
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### Well, yes, I agree you are painting an alluring picture. A streamlined trailer in the inimitable Tesla style, masquerading as a cargo carrier, with hidden power generation and even some actual cargo capacity, this could be a very viable product, especially since it would be much less limiting on your driving style than the cut-down generator I propose.

 

I think there might be a market for either design.

 

Rafal

 

 

 

Hi Rafal,

 

I contacted a friend today who is an engineer and who knows Teslas.  He threw cold water on the notion, pointing out some things I should have thought of plus something I couldn’t have known.

 

To start with… I took the drag of a Tesla at speed and added half again for the trailer.  Unless the design is very clever, that is likely an underestimate.  The Tesla has a lower drag coefficient than gasoline burners, lower even than corvettes, which need air to the radiator (note the most recent corvettes have four(!) radiators (sheesh.))  Anything you do to the aerodynamics of a Tesla will mess up the whole scheme.  I shoulda known that just from looking at it.  Elon realizes that making something slippery to the air also makes it look cool.  He got that exactly right.

 

Next: the Tesla S is not a light car, but… the frame is.  The weight of that rig is in the batteries.  If you look at the frame stresses with electric motors on all wheels and an advanced control system to even out the torque, that design saves weight in the frame.  That’s a good thing, but… the Tesla doesn’t play well to having hitches welded on down there.  Welding on a hitch would likely void the warranty.  I will cut myself some slack for not knowing that part.  It isn’t by itself a show-stopper, but it will likely push the design downsize, which is OK.

 

So now we look toward a smaller, lighter trailer which cannot keep the batteries fully charged by itself, but can perhaps extend your driving day to a full 12 hours at moderate speed, even if not the kind of speed we are fondly accustomed to on this side of the continent.  So it would be a range extender rather than a full equilibrium-capable generator.  I would size that at about 10 kW and carry about 30 gallons of fuel.  Together with compromising some on cargo space, the trailer is light enough to reduce rolling drag and to some extend wind resistance, to manageable numbers.  Now it is looking more like about a 600 pound trailer with room for about one suitcase.

 

This part is the most likely show-stopper: the Tesla software doesn’t allow driving and charging at the same time.  Apparently Elon thought of this whole notion and intentionally defeated it before his marvelous creation could be seen hauling trailers with roaring dinosaur burners.  I don’t know if it is possible to hack into the software on those rigs, never tried it.

 

spike

 

 

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