Why Don T They Put Wind Turbines On Cars?

Wind turbines are renewable energy devices that use the power of wind to generate electricity. They consist of blades that spin around a rotor when the wind blows, turning a generator to create electricity (source). Wind turbines provide clean energy and help reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Putting small wind turbines on cars has been proposed as a way to take advantage of wind energy while driving. The turbines could potentially charge the car’s battery using wind power, reducing the need to draw electricity from the grid to charge the battery. This article will explore the potential benefits and challenges of putting wind turbines on cars.

Potential Benefits

Adding small wind turbines to cars could potentially provide several benefits. The main potential benefit is using the wind turbines to generate electricity that could help power the car or charge the battery while driving, reducing reliance on gasoline or other fuels.

Since the wind turbines would produce supplemental electricity, they could lower overall fuel consumption for hybrid or electric vehicles. This electricity production from wind energy could reduce the load on the car’s main engine or battery, allowing them to operate more efficiently and extend their range per tank or charge.

By reducing fuel usage, wind turbines on cars could also lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with driving. The wind energy harnessed would replace some fossil fuel usage, resulting in lower carbon dioxide and other emissions per mile driven. Some estimates suggest emissions could be reduced by 20-30% or more with supplemental wind power generation while driving at highway speeds.

Overall, small onboard wind turbines could allow cars to tap into wind energy during operation, providing renewable electricity to improve fuel efficiency and lower environmental impact. However, major engineering challenges remain in making this concept viable (Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wind-turbines-evs-why-thats-bad-idea-solar-yes-winner-paul-gipe).

Engineering Challenges

Installing wind turbines on cars presents several engineering challenges that need to be addressed. The main issues involve turbine design, aerodynamics, handling, and integration with the powertrain.

Wind turbines are typically designed to operate at lower wind speeds, while a car-mounted turbine would need to handle much higher air velocities. The turbine blades would need to be engineered for speeds over 100 mph without breaking or causing too much drag. Materials research and aerodynamic profiling would be critical to make the blades tolerant of high speeds on the highway.¹

Adding a turbine would also affect the aerodynamics and handling of the vehicle. The turbine housing would need to be shaped and positioned to minimize drag. Engineers would have to account for the additional side forces and yaw moments produced by the spinning turbine. Careful testing and design iteration would be required to maintain stability and control.²

Finally, seamlessly integrating the wind turbine with the car’s powertrain presents challenges. The turbine output would need to connect to the electrical system and work in conjunction with the existing engine or motor. Making the different power sources work together efficiently could require new technologies and complex control systems.

Efficiency and Output

Wind turbines installed on cars would generate electricity based on the wind speed as the vehicle travels. However, there are major efficiency challenges compared to other renewable energy sources like solar panels. One analysis found that at 65 mph, an optimally designed wind turbine could generate around 300-400 watts of power, while solar panels on a Tesla Model S generate over 1,000 watts in ideal conditions (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wind-turbines-evs-why-thats-bad-idea-solar-yes-winner-paul-gipe).

Power generation from a wind turbine scales exponentially with wind speed. At lower speeds around 30-45 mph that are more typical on most roads, the expected output could be well under 100 watts. This is a very small amount of energy compared to the power demands of an electric vehicle, which are 10-20 kilowatts at highway speeds. Overall, micro wind turbines designed for automotive use would likely have an efficiency under 5-10% in real-world driving conditions (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16878132231165964).

In contrast, with maximum power point tracking, solar panels can operate at over 90% efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity. Solar also provides more consistent energy generation during daytime driving. For renewable power generation on cars, solar remains far more practical and efficient compared to micro wind turbines.

Safety Concerns

One of the biggest concerns with putting wind turbines on cars is the potential safety hazards of having exposed spinning blades attached to a moving vehicle. The rapidly rotating blades could pose a danger to pedestrians, cyclists, and other cars in the event of an accident or if the turbine breaks off the car.

According to one expert, “Exposed wind turbine blades spinning at high speeds could cause serious injury in a collision.” [1] The spinning blades would act like an additional hazard in any accident scenario. If the wind turbine broke off the car in a crash, it could become a dangerous projectile.

There are also concerns that wind turbines could affect the aerodynamics and handling of a car at high speeds. The turbine blades would create additional drag and instability.

Overall, the major worry is that attaching spinning wind turbine blades to moving vehicles could make them significantly more dangerous in the event of a crash or malfunction. Any benefit from generating supplementary power would need to be weighed against the potential for increased hazards on the road.

Aesthetics

The aesthetics of putting wind turbines on cars is a major consideration. Many find the look of traditional wind turbines to be unappealing, and attaching them to vehicles could draw similar criticism. As an article on The Nexus points out, “Depending on your ideas about renewable power, you may view a towering, twirling wind turbine as the paragon of elegance or a hideous blight on the landscape.”

To make wind turbines on cars more visually appealing, they would need to be well-integrated into the vehicle’s design. Miniaturized or concealed turbines that don’t protrude too much could help maintain a smooth exterior. As one experimental project described on Medium put it, “The mini-wind turbines will be aesthetically concealed to not hinder the aerodynamics of the vehicle.”

Noise is another aesthetic factor, as wind turbines can produce audible mechanical sounds. Careful turbine placement and noise dampening techniques would be needed to keep noise levels low and avoid irritating drivers or passengers.

Costs

There are significant costs associated with producing and installing wind turbines on vehicles. The turbines themselves are expensive to manufacture. According to Windustry.org, utility-scale wind turbines range from $1.3 million to $2.2 million per MW of capacity [1]. Smaller turbines suitable for vehicles would still cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit.

Installation costs would also be high, requiring custom mounts, wiring, and integration into the vehicle’s systems. Maintenance is an additional consideration, as the turbines would be subject to vibration, shocks, and weather while driving. More frequent inspections and repairs would be needed relative to stationary turbines.

Ultimately, the costs involved likely outweigh any potential fuel savings at this time. Significant technology improvements and cost reductions would be required to make wind turbines on cars financially viable.

Legal and Regulatory Hurdles

There are several legal and regulatory hurdles that would need to be addressed before wind turbines could be widely adopted on cars. Some of the key issues involve design restrictions and approvals as well as zoning laws related to noise and appearance.

In the United States, any modifications or attachments made to a vehicle need to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These standards cover aspects like crashworthiness, occupant protection, and lighting. Attaching a wind turbine to a car would require extensive safety testing and design adjustments to meet legal requirements. Approval from NHTSA would likely involve a lengthy and expensive process.

There are also noise regulations that would have to be considered. Most cities and towns have zoning laws that restrict noise levels, especially during nighttime hours. The swirling noise from a wind turbine at typical driving speeds could exceed legal decibel limits, resulting in citations or fines for drivers. New regulations would likely be needed to accommodate wind turbines on vehicles.

Aesthetic concerns and rules may pose another barrier. Homeowner associations or local governments often have guidelines about allowable designs and modifications. Wind turbines are perceived by some as visually unappealing. Overcoming potential opposition to the look of wind turbines on cars could require changing community rules and attitudes.

Overall, the legal and regulatory framework poses substantial challenges to adopting wind turbines on passenger vehicles. Modifying safety standards, noise ordinances, and aesthetic rules to permit wind turbines would likely involve lengthy bureaucratic processes at multiple levels of government.

Case Studies

There have been some attempts to develop prototypes and concept cars with small wind turbines mounted on them. In 2008, the Wind Explorer concept car was unveiled by Plug Power Inc. It had four vertical axis wind turbines mounted on top to generate electricity while driving. However, the car never made it to production.

Another prototype called Venturi Volage was developed in France in 2009 featuring a roof-mounted turbine. The LondonTaxi Company also experimented with a taxi concept called TX5 E-City featuring small turbines to extend the vehicle’s range. However, the turbines added complexity without significantly improving efficiency.

Some aftermarket turbine kits have been created that can be mounted on cars, though their small size limits power generation. Kits like the Windmill car turbine claim to add up to 1.5 kW of power, but reviews suggest they fall far short in real-world use.

Overall, the limited potential power generated by small turbines paired with engineering challenges have prevented widespread adoption of wind turbines on production vehicles.

Conclusion

In summary, there are some potential benefits as well as drawbacks to putting wind turbines on cars. The benefits include utilizing wind power to generate electricity for the vehicle, reducing reliance on gasoline, and lowering emissions. However, there are significant engineering challenges that would need to be overcome such as aerodynamics, weight, balance, vibration, and safety. Small turbines may not generate enough power to justify the costs and infrastructure required. There are also concerns around efficiency, noise, aesthetics and legal hurdles.

Overall, the feasibility of putting wind turbines on cars is low in the near future. The engineering challenges are immense and the potential power generation is limited. Other renewable energy technologies like solar panels may be better suited for integration with electric vehicles. While an innovative idea, wind turbines on cars do not currently appear to be a viable solution for powering passenger vehicles. More research and development would be needed to assess if they could become practical and cost-effective in the long run.