06-16-2017, 08:34 AM
(06-15-2017, 03:29 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Diesel engine might have something like 35% efficiency.
An electric motor could be up to 90%. A top-notch fuel cell will be 70%. Electrolysis might be up to 60%. But apply all three and you end up with 38%, almost the same as diesel -- and half the efficiency of a battery-operated electric vehicle. Really not fabulous. My rough efficiency estimates:
35% diesel (ICE loss only)
40% fuel cell (electrolyte loss + fuel cell loss + electric motor loss)
70% battery electric (battery loss + electric motor loss)
90% OCS electric (electric motor loss only)
I'm finding this whole discussion really interesting. Are there reputable detailed studies comparing these? It seems really complex to actually figure out the relative efficiencies.