Diesel or Electric

Sukh

Sukh

Sukh

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Joined
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Chelsea
I know the debate between the two in terms of cost, but I am thinking about the delivery of power.

If one was to get an automatic gearbox (DCT, DSG etc...) would it make any difference what engine was under the bonnet, since the power delivery in some respects is evened out by the quick changing automatic gearbox, or am I missing something completely?
 
Automatic gearboxes are not "perfect", they wouldn't cope very well with an extremely peaky engine (i.e. one with a very narrow power band) for instance. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) would, but practical examples of them aren't particularly good.
 
DSG will perform exactly like a manual box with faster gearchanges, it is not an autobox in the traditional sense.

Think of it as a manual box with some clever electronics, and a proper clutch, albeit there are 2 and they are multiplate.
 
There's a debate between the cost of diesel and electric?

Diesel cars actually have gearboxs, most electric cars don't. Not sure what the thread is about TBH.
 
Electric is like diesel w/ auto... Pardon?

Electric cars usually have no gearbox, the motor just delivers power over a huge range, no gearbox, better efficiency. Crap energy store.

A traditional automatic box is monumentally inefficient. 4 gears is common, and the engine is kept closer to the middle of the power band by the torque converter "slipping", wasting quite a bit of power. There's also a pump to feed ATF to the torque converter and operate the brake bands on the gears, wasting yet more power. It's a crap system with a good energy store (fuel tank).

The best thing to buy today is a petrol engine with a seamless change box (VAG style dual clutch, or F1 style wet packed clutches on all the gears).

I'll take a manual box though.
 
Dogbreath said:
Automatic gearboxes are not "perfect", they wouldn't cope very well with an extremely peaky engine (i.e. one with a very narrow power band) for instance.
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They work well with HGV's, vehicles with hardly a wide power band.... :confused:

Edit: ignore my drivel - most HGV's have automatic gear linkage mechanism's rather than a full torque converter type set up....
 
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Don't the battery/'s go flat on a electric car went you get struck in traffic for ages in the dark with all the lights on ?? :confused:

Plus:How the heater work on a electric car ?? :confused:
 
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Two 55W headlights and a couple of 5W taillights on a 20Kwh pack?

Ermm nope you won't drain it by just sitting in traffic.

Pre heat/cool prior to drive. You use an electric heater and possible introduce more insulating properties to the interior, whilst ustilising heat energy from the inverters, battery and motor to sustain the temp?

Bigglespip. Electric motors do not have poor power storage, they dont stored energy....
 
Jonnycoupe said:
Two 55W headlights and a couple of 5W taillights on a 20Kwh pack?

Ermm nope you won't drain it by just sitting in traffic.

Pre heat/cool prior to drive. You use an electric heater and possible introduce more insulating properties to the interior, whilst ustilising heat energy from the inverters, battery and motor to sustain the temp?

Bigglespip. Electric motors do not have poor power storage, they dont stored energy....
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The point is though, batteries are a bit poo atm compared to petrol/diesel.

chaparral said:
Don't the battery/'s go flat on a electric car went you get struck in traffic for ages in the dark with all the lights on ?? :confused:

Plus:How the heater work on a electric car ?? :confused:
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Bit like how the petrol tank'll go empty if you get stuck in traffic for ages and can't fill up.. :p
 
chaparral said:
Plus:How the heater work on a electric car ?? :confused:
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You're going to like this, they often run on petrol. I remember reading the brochure for the electric Berlingo they made a few years back and noticed it was the only van on sale that could use leaded petrol.

Dr Who said:
What like a hybrid?

;)
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No, in a diesel electric you have a diesel motor that constantly runs a generator then powers an electric motor. Sounds completely insane till you think about the logistics or building a gearbox for a train.
 
K.C. Leblanc said:
No, in a diesel electric you have a diesel motor that constantly runs a generator then powers an electric motor. Sounds completely insane till you think about the logistics or building a gearbox for a train.
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It is still a hybrid, just the hybrid has battery backup, I know how deltics work

;)
 
A diesel electric car would surely be very efficient. A very small diesel engine, running at peak efficiency, started when needed, to charge a battery. The drive for the car would be purely electric motors. The diesel engine could be a tiny, single cylinder affair...
 
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