[brownsfan]

"Take a physics class before you embarass yourself anymore."

Wow, go easy. Not everyone is as brilliant as you are.

But I would say, an alternator under load is not nearly as costly to run, in terms of mechanical load, as a running A/C compressor. It's not free energy, but it is low cost.

[hopespringseternal]

Wow, go easy. Not everyone is as brilliant as you are.

Brilliant? For knowing one of the first lessons in elementary physics?

Unfortunately, people like that wind up defining our energy policy with their ignorance.

[slowhandluke]

But I would say, an alternator under load is not nearly as costly to run, in terms of mechanical load, as a running A/C compressor. It's not free energy, but it is low cost.

I believe that's because there's nothing like a 5 HP air conditioner unit sucking energy from the alternator. 5 HP is 3.72KW, or at 12V about 300 amps. That's lots of expensive and heavy copper to carry that load. I think the battery powered cars use 48V to avoid the wiring problem.