I can only assume the author of the story got the details wrong. No one smart enough to assemble an electric cart like that would think it could generate it's own power using the relative wind. I think the fan might be a kind of "regenerative brake" or something that might work if going down hill. I do know that that are many people here in the US building their own electric vehicle. Many are as simple as an older pickup truck with 500 pounds of lead acid battery in the truck bed.
"When the car reaches 40mph, the blades spring into action, generating what Mr Tang claims is extra power. He claims the turbine means his car's battery – which would otherwise need to be recharged daily – only requires charging every three days. However, critics say that any power generated by the turbine would be outweighed by the energy expended in propelling the vehicle forwards." Here's a longer quote. The air is moving past the car so you might as well make it do some work. There's no reason it can't power some electronics or charge a battery. In 1975 or 1976 high school kids could power a transistor radio from a windmill on the school's roof. EV conversions (at least at the EEVC) are beyond lead-acid. AFAIK everything now is being built with Li-ion.
I think it is unfair to brand Tang Zhenping as a charletan is unfair without knowing the whole story. It is quite possible that he is just an idiot.
If we offer the guy with a fan powering his car a DOE grant, thinking he is making energy breaking the laws of physics, then it's time to give up.
