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Does anyone know if GM's 40 mile promise includes the use of a heater in winter or an air conditioner in summer? Will the Volt even come with these features?
What about heating and air conditioning?
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I'm not sure about how much of an effect the AC or Heater will have, but for a car in the 30K - 40K range it better have AC. And for how hot it gets where I live, 100+, AC is a requirement.
I was thinking it's funny how the running the AC or heater affects gas mileage tends to be overblown, but now there is a direct effect.
I was thinking it's funny how the running the AC or heater affects gas mileage tends to be overblown, but now there is a direct effect.
Will have heating and AC
The Volt will have heating and AC and they will have a similar impact on range as in an normal car. Since the all-electric range is 40 miles, the impact will be proportionally bigger on the all-electric range than on the total range of over 400 miles. Heating and cooling consume energy, there is no getting around that.
The Volt will have heating and AC and they will have a similar impact on range as in an normal car. Since the all-electric range is 40 miles, the impact will be proportionally bigger on the all-electric range than on the total range of over 400 miles. Heating and cooling consume energy, there is no getting around that.
Personally, I could see a 'pre-chill/heat' function that would warm/cool a few gallons of fluid while still plugged in and use that to assist the process.
Otherwise for heat, why not use a small gasoline heater? I mean heating a car with a gasoline fired heater would likely use less than a cup of gasoline during the 40 miles of EV range.
Otherwise for heat, why not use a small gasoline heater? I mean heating a car with a gasoline fired heater would likely use less than a cup of gasoline during the 40 miles of EV range.
Gasoline heater and preheat!
I like the idea of a gasoline heater. Usually burning fuel for heat is very efficient. I wonder how much complexity/cost that would add?
I think pre-heating is also a good idea.
It will be really interesting to see how the system works when it comes out.
I like the idea of a gasoline heater. Usually burning fuel for heat is very efficient. I wonder how much complexity/cost that would add?
I think pre-heating is also a good idea.
It will be really interesting to see how the system works when it comes out.
I'm a pilot and I used to fly a Beechcraft Baron B55.
For heat they used a Janitol Heater http://www.ramaircraft.com/Aircraft-Parts/Heaters/Aircraft-Heaters.htm which used a small amount of fuel while providing a lot of heat. Taking off from Appleton, Wisconsin on a minus 20 degree day climbing to 15,000 feet where the temperature was minus 30, 40 or 50 you had to have reliable source of heat.
To keep weight down the Baron didn't rely on a huge amount of insulation, cruising speed was about 190 mph so the effect of wind chill was dramatic. But we were always warm and toasty. For flight planning I seem to remember using figuring a couple gallons on a four or five hour flight but it's been a long time since I've been in a Baron.
They were safe or the FAA would never approve them for airplanes. I've never read of an incident or accident report related to a Janitol heating unit.
I would think a unit a third of the size, using a third of the fuel, would be plenty sufficient to keep a car warm even in the coldest of cold weather. The plus part is the heat is instant.
But now I live in a part of the country where air conditioning is a must have or it's a deal breaker. I could live all year without the heat but I couldn't live without air.
For heat they used a Janitol Heater http://www.ramaircraft.com/Aircraft-Parts/Heaters/Aircraft-Heaters.htm which used a small amount of fuel while providing a lot of heat. Taking off from Appleton, Wisconsin on a minus 20 degree day climbing to 15,000 feet where the temperature was minus 30, 40 or 50 you had to have reliable source of heat.
To keep weight down the Baron didn't rely on a huge amount of insulation, cruising speed was about 190 mph so the effect of wind chill was dramatic. But we were always warm and toasty. For flight planning I seem to remember using figuring a couple gallons on a four or five hour flight but it's been a long time since I've been in a Baron.
They were safe or the FAA would never approve them for airplanes. I've never read of an incident or accident report related to a Janitol heating unit.
I would think a unit a third of the size, using a third of the fuel, would be plenty sufficient to keep a car warm even in the coldest of cold weather. The plus part is the heat is instant.
But now I live in a part of the country where air conditioning is a must have or it's a deal breaker. I could live all year without the heat but I couldn't live without air.
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