Ben Goren via EV wrote:
I've thought about adding insulation for both thermal efficiency
and road noise reduction
Insulation helps in both of these respects. Cars are *woefully* badly
insulated. Insulation has a major effect on how much energy you'll need
to heat or cool it.
You can run the ICE just as a heater. ICEs are really efficient at
producing heat! :-)
Since you live in AZ, why not an evaporative "swamp cooler"? They work
pretty well in low humidity environments.
are there heat pump systems rather than compressor units
that might be more energy efficient? I mean, short of hanging an
apartment A/C unit out the window....
A compressor *is* a heat pump.
An apartment air conditioner isn't as bad a choice as you might think.
They have to meet efficiency guidelines; cars don't. A good window air
conditioner is probably twice as efficient as the best car air conditioner.
I wonder if one would fit in the trunk, above the rear axle? You could
use the fake fender air scoops to get air to cool the evaporator, and
have the condenser blow its air into the package shelf under the rear
window.
The original impetus was to use it to cool the
batteries...
If the batteries are in an insulated box, they won't need much cooling
to keep them at a reasonable temperature. There are small "chiller"
units, intended for water coolers and vending machines that could do it.
Peltier coolers...
As others have mentioned, these have *really* low efficiencies.
--
Problems that go away by themselves will be back with friends.
--
Lee Hart's EV projects are at http://www.sunrise-ev.com/LeesEVs.htm
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