Reply #8: I'd echo pretty much what Tinrobot's said... [View All]

[Dead_Parrot]

...15hp (~11kW in new money) sounds too small, especially if you're putting it through any of the existing transmission - You'd probably want to double it at least, depending on the donor car: You might not want to be able to out-drag a Telsa, but you do want to be able to negotiate an intersection without being to turned to shrapnel - 0-60 in 3 days with a following wind isn't going to help, there. :)

And stick with DC, life is too short to be buggering around with AC unless you plan on getting in outside help in. Or you really know your variable AC systems, of course, but then I guessing you wouldn't asking us. ;)

What sort of wind power you'd want depends on how much power it winds up using, and I don't think there's any way to judge that until you've built it: You might want to get the car up and running and measure the energy use, then judge the requirements from that. I would mention that, many years ago, I knew a guy who built a small turbine out of an old car alternator. It looked like whirling death, but it's food for thought...