Mole wrote:
I'd be interested to know about systems for keeping aircon working while the engine's not running - that could be useful for something we're working on at present!
For three or four years, the
North American Honda Accord Hybrid came standard with a 2ndary electrically driven A/C compressor.
Patrick Bedard, of Car & Driver, wrote:
During our summer test motoring, the A/C was always running. The belt-drive compressor (75cc displacement) stops with the engine, but the electric compressor (15cc) maintains cabin coolness and keeps the Accord alive with enough vibration that you could think — in a Lexus anyway — the engine were still idling.
Electric drive has smaller losses than belt drive, too.
John Phillips, of Car & Driver, wrote:
In previous hybrids I've sampled, the engines could rarely sustain max compressor and max fan speed in auto-stop mode, so the thing continued to idle through even the briefest traffic lights, working counter to the whole fuel-saving exercise. But not this baby. Even when the tach reads "0," a cool northeasterly blows relentlessly ... Big surprise that Honda figured it out first, right?
The Rush wrote:
(The car was discontinued for two reasons:
a) the vast majority of hybrid buyers prefer a more conspicuous and ostentatious display of their 'hybrid-ness' which allows them to believe that others see them as 'superior' citizens
b) the vast majority of hybrid buyers prefer a four-cylinder attached to the hybrid mechanism; apparently, 30MpG City & 37MpG HiWay isn't enough of an improvement over the four-cylinder Accord's 24 & 34, when for less money, a smaller, less comfortable car was available.)
Anyway ...
Imagine if the roof were a solar panel, further extending the life of these batteries, providing yet more electrical energy to drive this compressor. If the solar paneling could gather and provide enough energy [EDIT]to augment the regenerative braking system's contributions[/EDIT], the AC system might never need the engine!
Of course someone will complain about suffering an aesthetic penalty for such an odd-looking roof ...