Inventor claims electric van can cruise for 500-miles on full charge

We've heard some pretty zany claims when it comes to alternatively-powered vehicles, but Daren Luedtke is suggesting this his homemade electric van can propel itself some "500 miles" (despite other reports stating 150 miles) on a single charge. He also noted that it can be fully recharged in just eight hours, and he has apparently filed for a number of patents on the technology. The prototype Caravan, which took a few hundred thousand dollars to convert, is filled with batteries and also sports a computer that "monitors inputs such as amperage and voltage (his words, not ours)." Luedtke Enterprises is purportedly looking for manufacturers to help bring the technology to the public, and if you're interested in hearing more, you can hit the read link for a video interview with the head honcho himself.

[Via CNET]

[John M @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:35PM]

unhuuuuuh it aint go no gas in it

(slingblade)

[nikola @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:18PM]

Hey engadget, got a link to these "other reports" that claim its mileage is only 150?

I'm curious to see if these other reports actually exist, or did you just pull those figures out your ass (figuratively speaking). You guys seem to be becoming more and more notorious for this kind of stuff.

[nikola @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:34PM]

Looks like I was right, more shoddy engadget "reporting".

You made it seem like he was making a suspect claim that it ran 500 miles on a full charge. Actually he said it runs 150 miles on lead batteries and *COULD* go up to 500 miles if lithium batteries were used instead.

I wonder if the link below is the "other reports" you are referring to - and in which case why didn't you just say what I said, it goes 150 on lead batteries and maybe up to 500 on lithium batteries? Why not just post all the facts instead of the insinuations and distortions??


"The electro-magnetic transmission powers the van and a variable speed belt-driven transmission are both inside. Combined, the two systems make a totally electric van that runs on lead acid batteries, which can fuel the van for 150 miles before needing to be recharged.

Luedtke says if lithium-ion batteries are used, the van would go 500 miles before needing to be recharged. He showed off his invention, along with a totally electric converted Yamaha motorcycle, at the Ozark International Raceway today."
http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=12364

[Mark @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:41PM]

Watch as the patents get purchased out by Big Oil.

[Preston @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:15PM]

Yea...BIG OIL! SCARY!

[Daryl Herbert @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:54PM]

Watch as the patents DON'T get purchased by big oil.

And you will be able to watch.

He will be listed as the inventor on the patent, so you will be able to search the USPTO web site to see what his patents are once they have been granted.

Blaming oil companies for the failure of the electric car is like blaming stagecoach operators for the difficulties faced by inventors trying to make working a airplane before 1906.

You don't need a conspiracy theory when the technology simply isn't there yet. It's the same for electric cars: we are seeing workable vehicles like the Tesla because technology has improved (it's based on laptop batteries, which have improved a lot over the years) and the political outlook of the investors (they're making a sports car instead of a Soviet-style "punishment car")

[patsy @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:50PM]

It's current, not "amperage", but I realize I'm wasting my breath, since I've even heard engineers use that asinine term.

[dv @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:52PM]

if you insist on using 'current' instead of 'amperage', you also must insist on using the word 'electric potential' rather than 'voltage'.

just saying.

[patsy @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:03PM]

You're right. I must admit that "amperage" is actually in the dictionary, but to me it's still a cringe-inducing term.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 3rd 2007 7:36PM]

NIC card is cringe inducing. "Amperage" I have no qualms about.

[emehrkay @ Oct 4th 2007 8:28AM]

@Andir3.0

ATM machine...

[dv @ Oct 3rd 2007 2:50PM]

that's an easy accomplishment on flat land if you go without stopping. an increase in size means an increase in weight, but not by as much as the increase in space for you to stuff more batteries in. and on flat land, you really don't need to exert much.

hell, i can go 100 miles on flat land on a bike propelled by the energy supplied by 2 meals.

[Ian @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:08PM]

well that and plus stop and go traffic... although the energy is probably wasted more on music and such in that kind of a situation. anyway point is that yea easy to go 500 miles on flat land, take it to the hills and then see how far it gets

side note. did u see that thing? how ugly, and illigeal to drive on the street, no hood. and where the hell do u put the passengers?

[nikola @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:25PM]

If its an easy accomplishment then hell, why are you typing here when you could be making patents to license to all these companies trying to enter the electric car market?

[dv @ Oct 3rd 2007 6:19PM]

because you didn't read my post fully. 500 miles on flat land is an easy accomplishment. is 500 miles on flat land any use to you if it only goes 20 in the hills?

[nikola @ Oct 3rd 2007 6:46PM]

He's applied for almost 30 patents, spent almost a $100,000, and started a company to market an engine thats only supposed to be driven on completely flat surfaces! You figured it out!!

[Speed @ Oct 3rd 2007 3:19PM]

From ozarksfirst.com
http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=12364
" ... a totally electric van that runs on lead acid batteries, which can fuel the van for 150 miles before needing to be recharged."
"Luedtke says if lithium-ion batteries are used, the van would go 500 miles before needing to be recharged."
And if wishes were fishes ...

[Doz @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:20PM]

Not to bring down the achievement here but seems like with the $100k+ they put into this they could have found a more visually appeasing car for their prototype. Also guessing it would have saved some weight too in the 10-15 years of advancements auto frames/bodies have made since this thing.

[RB @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:57PM]

There is roughly a 700lb difference between the first gen caravan and the newer caravan. So thanks to saftey concerns, the older car would actually go further by weighing less.

[Boynamedsue @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:25PM]

500 miles?

they should get the proclaimers to endorse this.

[chris @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:06PM]

Dude, it's got an Orbo under the hood.

[Dart @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:33PM]

Even if it can only do 150 miles per charge, this is a HUGE leap. 500 on a charge would be crazy nuts. That is enough charge to drive across most states and then some.

[Dart @ Oct 3rd 2007 5:36PM]

BTW, the article mentions it gets 150 miles on Lead-Acid batteries CURRENTLY. But the owner says that he thinks he could get the range up to 500 miles if he used Lithium Ion batteries because they hold their charge way better. This would be pretty cool, but how long do these batteries last before they need to be replaced? How much would they cost to replace? Do old ones pollute? Can they be reused?

[KC @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:46PM]

I bet it's a van full of batteries. Try to put all those batteries in a sedan and see how far it will go.

[Jimmy H. @ Oct 3rd 2007 10:32PM]

If this really works then it will prob get shut down by the gov.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Oct 4th 2007 5:25AM]

Hey, Engadget! I've invented a motor that makes 720BHP 900FT/lb, gets 1,001 MPG and runs on a revolutionary new fuel called Snake Oil.


Contact me for investment opportunities.

[p-k-r @ Oct 4th 2007 9:57AM]

This thing isn't really that much more advanced than the electric cars invented over 80 years ago. Speculating it could go 500 miles in real world driving with lithium batteries is hardly any proof. Filling a van half full of batteries isn't practical either. I kind of feel sorry for this guy. He's caught up in the modern electric car hype and will never succeed beyond convincing a few investors to burn a few hundred grand with him. If you want to see a real electric car Visit Tesla, or take a look at the GM volt, or just look at the converted Prius's... Toyota will have a plug in hybrid in full production long before any garage inventor gets anywhere.

[keithwwalker @ Oct 5th 2007 1:31AM]

I don't care if it's free energy, it's still a crappy old Dodge caravan...