New Device Would Extend Range of Electric Cars

Scientists from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Stuttgart unveiled what is called a free-piston linear generator on Tuesday.  The device works in a similar fashion to a range extender, where over short journeys the car is powered solely by an electric motor and over longer distances by an internal combustion engine.

 
What makes the new generator special is the fact that, in contrast to traditional range extenders, it can operate on various fuels – on hydrogen, for example, in addition to gasoline. The motor should ensure that motorists get to their destination “as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible,” said the head of the DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts, Horst Friedrich.
 
“The next step will be to develop this technology together with engine manufacturers and to build a prototype,” Friedrich said. A further reduction of the device’s weight and size could enable cars to extend their range by around 600 kilometers without making them heavier.

Source: Germany.info