Doomsday Survival Science

[YNM]

Hmm... Making an ICE means the nees to machine pistons - crankshft, combustion chamber, and camshaft - valves. Making an electrically powered device needs mostly an electric motor, which is mostly magnets and lots of wires.

Dunno, I never tried to make an engine !

Though, that's all for making from scratch - salvaging one ICE powered car may be easier than salvaging a large enough battery and a large enough motor. Even so, I wonder why we even need engines, when you can just walk, and you're not sure where to go ?

[Bill Phil]

Hmm... Making an ICE means the nees to machine pistons - crankshft, combustion chamber, and camshaft - valves. Making an electrically powered device needs mostly an electric motor, which is mostly magnets and lots of wires.

Dunno, I never tried to make an engine !

Though, that's all for making from scratch - salvaging one ICE powered car may be easier than salvaging a large enough battery and a large enough motor. Even so, I wonder why we even need engines, when you can just walk, and you're not sure where to go ?

Electrical engines of equal power to car ICEs are more complicated than that...

You need electrical power. Lots of it. You can find it in batteries. But without charging stations and the necessary infrastructure, it's better to use an ICE.

Yes, you need to machine the engine parts. But that's doable. A machine shop with the tools you need would be incredibly useful.

There are simple-ish ICEs.

[YNM]

Electrical engines of equal power to car ICEs are more complicated than that...

You need electrical power. Lots of it. You can find it in batteries. But without charging stations and the necessary infrastructure, it's better to use an ICE.

Yes, you need to machine the engine parts. But that's doable. A machine shop with the tools you need would be incredibly useful.

There are simple-ish ICEs.

I'm not sure there'd still be machine shops. Maybe we can charge everything by cranking a pedal while asleep, or connect it with a (water/wind)mill haha. Not sure...

That being said, what scenario of global catastrophe still leave you with infras and the need of cars ?

[Skyler4856]

I'm not sure there'd still be machine shops. Maybe we can charge everything by cranking a pedal while asleep, or connect it with a (water/wind)mill haha. Not sure...

That being said, what scenario of global catastrophe still leave you with infras and the need of cars ?

Disease, EMP, Economic collapse, etc. Cars could be used for a myriad of process, ranging from farming, to pumping water.

[AngelLestat]

Much of the same issue with electrical cars, older cars or simpler machines like an ATW is much simpler to keep running without access to special parts or equipment.

Know an almost 100 year old electrical engine who is still in use, larger than modern ones but does it work well enough. It was bought after WW1 to replace an steam engine on an threshing machine.

Used for various stuff until it ended on a machine to sort potatoes and was sold as part of it some years ago.

Agree, older ICE cars are easier and last longer, and new electric cars as tesla, they are also very complex.

ICE cars came around the 1810s...

They weren't that amazing, but they were ICE powered.

You mean steam? it does not count as internal combustion engine..

Can I see the source?

If you have the ability to make an engine which only needs easily acquired materials, you should build it, depending on its efficiency and usefulness. But electrically powered cars require electrical parts, which may be hard to find or produce in a post apocalyptic environment.

Electric motors is not the problem, working batteries may be difficult to find, their lifespan is not much, and not sure how difficult is to make them. On the other hand, reversive fuel cells are not hard to make, (in case you can access to internet to read the instructions in the apocaliptic world), you can use them as batteries or to produce hydrogen from water. You just need to stack many metal sheets, depending the materials you can get, it will depend on the efficiency, being platine the best material.

Though, that's all for making from scratch - salvaging one ICE powered car may be easier than salvaging a large enough battery and a large enough motor. Even so, I wonder why we even need engines, when you can just walk, and you're not sure where to go ?

Heh that will depend on the type of apocaliptic world. But if your transport needs is kinda solve, then you dont need to fight for your live in each fuel station you find. You can just concentrate in get food far from others.