If it is possible, I would like some ideas as to which car would be easiest or best to convert. I would like to imagine a car that can be very easy to replace the batteries, perhaps in clusters?
Also, is there any safelty issues with AA betteries?
2007-11-21 03:44:15 · 14 answers · asked by dan h 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
First let's look at the theory. A vehicle propulsion motor would have to be a minimum of 24 volts.
Let's assume (in round figures) that the highest capacity AA cell is 2500 mAH (2.5 amp-hours).
So 20 cells in series will make a battery supplying 24 volts at 2.5 amps for 1 hour.
Your motor will draw (say) 50 amps average. For a 1 hour journey you would need 20 batteries each of 20 cells (that's 400 cells total for each hour's running time).
I know that these are only ballpark figures, but it's already starting to look impractical. That's why we need to look at hydrogen fuel cells for electric vehicles.
2007-11-21 03:58:18 · answer #1 · answered by Michael B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is always possible. The question should be, is it cost effective? It would certainly be convenient to pick up your fuel at the Dollar Store before heading out on that long trip, but the reality is that the AA battery is not made to be used for long periods of time, would be an ecological nightmare to place back into the environment, and would be punitively expensive for anyone to commute with. This is almost as problematic as trying to keep up an ink jet printer with brand name cartridges (wanted to inject a little cold hard reality here)
AA batteries also break down and leak after about a year. Fuel Cells are almost becoming doable, and hydrogen is getting closer every decade. Solar Cells are also evolving to the point where they are extremely cost effective to make. Storing the power has always been and will always be our greatest challenge. Bottling potential means that you have to keep that potential from dissipating. In the meantime, get yourself a Willie-mobile (named after Willie Nelson's Honeysuckle Rose - Purchased from Hoyt Axton and converted to run on Bio-Diesel) and fill up at any restaurant that has a deep fryer.
2007-11-21 11:53:51 · answer #2 · answered by MUDD 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That would be funny to see. Fill the trunk up with AA batteries and off you go. It would take hundreds or perhaps thousands of batteries to give you the power that you would need to go. The AA batteries are also not the best environment wise. They have acids in them and heavy metals. They would give no benefit over the lead acid battery that is currently in cars today. In fact, they would probably end up more expensive and take up a lot more room.
What is going on today is research into different types of batteries using different materials. Scientists are working to build more efficient batteries that can provide the energy and not take up too much space.
2007-11-21 11:49:40 · answer #3 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The key word here is "possible".
Yes, I suppose it would be possible to convert a small car to run on AA batteries, but would it be practical.
For one thing, the suspension and frame of a small car probably not be strong enough to support the weight of the batteries you would need to power the car.
The next thing to consider is the cost of the batteries per mile of travel.
Having said that , I wish you all the best.
Remember, when Mr. Lear wanted to build a small radio he was told that it could not be done as he could not get a small enough coil for his radio. He proved all the nay-sayers wrong and built his own coils that worked just fine.
2007-11-21 11:55:53 · answer #4 · answered by ijcoffin 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Electric cars are practical with suitably designed batteries using state-of-the-art chemistry. But using AA cells for even an electric bicycle would require hundreds of them. Most of their volume and mass is packaging. The interconnections would be very unreliable.
2007-11-22 01:49:42 · answer #5 · answered by Frank N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By the time you get enough batteries in the car to actually power it, the car would be so heavy (from the batteries) that it couldn't move on its own.
AA batteries do not contain very much electrical power, and do not have nearly the power-to-weight ratio needed to propel a vehicle of any considerable size.
That's not to mention the cost.....
2007-11-21 11:55:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honey engineers and major manufacturers have been working on getting a car to run efficiently on batteries for years so I don't think you can "convert" your particularly to AA
If you figure it out you will be a millionaire. The current batteries in the new fords will weight about 300 lbs,....assuming they get them to work at all.
2007-11-21 11:49:00 · answer #7 · answered by Lyn B 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
most of the drain on the battery is when you start the car. So if you did away with the starter motor and used a handle to turn it over, and if you did away with the stereo, and the electric window wiper motor, and the heater motor hey you may well have something
2007-11-21 13:19:26 · answer #8 · answered by Paddy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dopn't think that AA's are configured properly to run a car, even if you had a tonne of them. But yes you apparently can convert a normal car to electric or vegetable oil, bio diesel very easily. Most in under an hour, but the gas companies don't want you to know that.
2007-11-21 11:48:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
get a very small car, maybe on ethat is already hybrid
anyway, its gonna need an electric motor instead of an engine, and you would need A LOT of those batteries and some way to recharge them.
2007-11-21 11:49:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋