Featured Electric-car frunks: Bonus space or wasted opportunity?

You misspelled both BMW and i3-REx., the only BEV with a range extender generator.

 

BMW i3's range extender generator is not in the frunk, at least not in the factory version

 

And the Volt was a PHEV like the Prime, not an EV with a range extender.
Officially the i3-REX was the only vehicle in that category, according to CARB.

 

The EV motor sits on the driver side of the rear compartment. The optional REx is on the passenger side. Only electricity flows from the REx generator to the battery-motor assembly.

My understanding is the Volt and Honda retain a mechanical link to the drive wheels.

Bob Wilson

 

I am sure that CARB is an incontestable authority in the number of areas, but not in the way cars actually work and are used

In the category of automobiles, equipped with both electric propulsion and an ICE (or FC) system there is a spectrum, something like this

Hybrid ---- PHEV ---- EREV. Whereas the situation with the non-plug hybrids is clear - they have to burn gas to work - between PHEV and EREV the distinction is a lot more murky (not unlike the argument about where the minivan ends and the minibus begins, or how tall a hatchback has to be to become a CUV).

I'd argue that on this spectrum the Volt, especially its first iteration, was a lot closer to the EREV end than to the Hybrid end, and even closer to the i3 and to the Prime.

 

With the Volt, the ICE clutches in to the wheels only under extreme conditions, which would be 70+ mph up a mountain.

 

I think the first generation didn't have this function; I believe there was no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.

 

It's at the end of the video, it's called grade driving. Haven't needed it around here.

 

I don't know about serving hot wings or iced beverages from the front of my vehicle, but it all kind of reminds me of my Aunts old VW bug. Who knew with a rear end engine, VW bugs were early non-electric "frunk" vehicles?
If I remember right, the space was pretty shallow with the VW bug, but people are amazing at utilizing space.
I still don't know if I'd be anxious to load up on the greasy hot wings....drain or no drain, but I'm sure people will use the space created and available with fantastic results.

 

The Volt was the first E-REV.
"The E-REV is principally an Electric Vehicle (EV) with full vehicle performance available as an EV. Significantly, it overcomes the historical EV re-charge time limitations by adding a fuel-powered electric generator to extend driving range. Actual all-electric driving can regularly be experienced throughout the working energy range of the vehicle’s battery without fear of being stranded. The E-REV offers the opportunity for petroleum independence, and a dramatic reduction in emissions for many drivers."
(PDF) The Electrification of the Automobile: From Conventional Hybrid, to Plug-in Hybrids, to Extended-Range Electric Vehicles
(apologies if that isn't public access)
An E-REV can have differences in performance between EV and hybrid mode(people have remarked on it in the Prime), because engines and motors have different output curves. The E-REV will run solely as an EV up to the car's max speed, and Volt does this. A plain PHEV can have the engine come on for acceleration and higher speeds. The engine coming on for heat or defrosting isn't a consideration for this, as it isn't coming on to help propel the car; it is on, so it might as well help though.

I admit the SAE may have refined the official E-REV definition to be series hybrids only since that paper was published, but most of the public isn't going to make such a distinction.

As for the Prius Prime, it is a PHEV. The EV mode that stays in EV operation regardless is just the a North American feature. Even then, the car won't stay in EV mode to its top speed. Now the speed limit being above posted ones does make the car effectively a E-REV for most people.

No, it's a REx, a category CARB and BMW came up with to allow BMW get ZEV credits for the range extender version. CARB insisted on operation limits that hobbled the car's performance.

REx may, officially or unofficially, be used elsewhere for a subset of E-REV; cars in which the range extender provides only a portion of the car's EV performance.

And outside edge cases, would only happen when the car is in hybrid mode.

The Volt has always had a PSD similar to Toyota's; where the engine, motors, and wheels connect up is different. There is also a clutch for better EV performance, which gets dropped from the Malibu hybrid.

The spare was also stored there, which limited the space of course. The Thing might have had an external mounted spare.

 

the Chrysler Pacifica is a plugin version - kind of a hybrid somewhere between the prime & the volt, presuming I was able to grasp professor Kelly's explanation.

Over an hour - Short attention span folks beware
.

 

I seem to remember that.
But it was still amazing what my Aunt was able to get into that little bug.
Give people space, and then just step back.

I would expect great utilization of the "frunks" or any other spaces created and possible with Electric Vehicles.

Maybe even something greater than as a platform for great tailgating opportunities.

 

That would be NOSEgating??
Hint: The frunk is at the end opposite to the tail.

 

Noselidding.

The Bollinger trucks actually have a gate for the frunk, so that would be nosegating. They also allow the frunk space to open to the cabin. Same with the bed cargo aree, so you slide really long pieces of lumber, pipe, etc. down the center of the truck.

 

Bollinger? Looks great! And where can I get one?

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Same place you can get a Rivian.

 

The Tesla Killer boutique? I heard they just ran out of e-Tatauars.