range-anxiety relief
Fear of running out of juice on the road can be a deal-killer for prospective electric-car buyers. Improved charging infrastructure will help to relieve range anxiety, but electric cars could also benefit from onboard mileage extenders. Audi, BMW, Lotus, Mazda, and two European engineering firms—AVL and FEV—have experimented with compact, engine-driven generators (smaller and less integrated than, say, the engine of the Chevy Volt) that hum to augment electrical energy on the roll. The ultimate solution—not yet under development—is a portable hydrogen fuel cell you load with your luggage and attach to the battery pack, enabling highway range comparable to gas-powered cars. A possible solution to the hydrogen-fuel storage concern is on the next page [see “Not That H2”].
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