IssacZachary
Well-known member
I I've been interested in some sort of range extender for several reasons:
That being said I'm kind of going back and forth on two ideas for myself. I'm going to do one or the other, I'm just not sure which.
One is a pusher trailer. A Kohler Command Pro propane fuel injected engine with a sprag clutch and a one wheeled trailer. Projected cost: $3,000. I'd add some emissions equipment to lower the already low propane emissions.
The other idea would be a wrecked Leaf battery on a $300 trailer.
- I do live where places to charge from (as well as towns and fuel stations) are still far apart. Too far apart actually. And with the next generation of affordable longer-distance BEV's approaching fast I'm not too sure more Level 2 pubic charging stations will ever be placed on the long roads and highways between towns out here, let alone CHAdeMO stations.
- Yes I'd like to drive far once in a while. I got the Leaf to cover 90% of my traveling needs.
- Alternatives like renting have their disadvantages too. Hertz is only open from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Plus it costs $40-$50 per day so if I have to go somewhere far for a day every month I'd probably have to rent two days. By then I'm looking at $1,000 per year in renting costs. A V-twin engine costs that. A 240V inverter generator costs $3,000-$4,000, but can be as low a $1,000 used.
- Maintaining a whole second car for once a month is ridiculous.
- There's merit in having just one vehicle. You don't have to make sure if your wife grabbed all her goodies every time you change vehicles if you only use one vehicle.
- Changing the Leaf for something else is cost prohibitive. I drive very short distances around town all day long. So you know what that does to an ICE's fuel mileage and longevity? Before the Leaf I was getting 13mpg maximum. Yes I could meet in the middle and get a Volt. But that wouldn't give me the EV experience and economy and reliability all day long like my Leaf does. What I save in fuel and maintenance and repairs by owning a Leaf justifies renting on occasion. But a hardly used range extender that could potentially cost less than renting for several years would justify the range extender.
That being said I'm kind of going back and forth on two ideas for myself. I'm going to do one or the other, I'm just not sure which.
One is a pusher trailer. A Kohler Command Pro propane fuel injected engine with a sprag clutch and a one wheeled trailer. Projected cost: $3,000. I'd add some emissions equipment to lower the already low propane emissions.
The other idea would be a wrecked Leaf battery on a $300 trailer.