Why can an electric car, not have a generator instead of a motor on one wheel, so that as that wheel turns it generates energy for the battery? I totally understand that it isn’t possible, but I don’t know why. I also understand that regenerative energy is taken from breaking.

Question

Why can an electric car, not have a generator instead of a motor on one wheel, so that as that wheel turns it generates energy for the battery? I totally understand that it isn’t possible, but I don’t know why. I also understand that regenerative energy is taken from breaking.

In: 0

Answer 1

It takes *work* to crank a generator when it’s putting out electricity. Generators don’t create energy out of nowhere, as energy cannot be created or destroyed. They take mechanical energy away from a moving object and transform that energy into electrical energy. You’ll never get more energy from the generator than the car loses to the generator.

>Why can an electric car, not have a generator instead of a motor on one wheel, so that as that wheel turns it generates energy for the battery

That’s basically what happens during regenerative braking—the generator takes kinetic energy away from the car, slowing it down, and converts it into electrical energy.