Systems and/or methods for using air/wind power to charge/re-charge vehicle batteries

A system for charging and/or re-charging a battery in a vehicle, comprising:

• a channel having a body into which wind/air can flow;
• at least one turbine located in the body of the channel, each said turbine being rotatable by the wind/air flowing through the channel;
• a plurality of vanes located in the body of the channel upstream of the turbines, wherein constricting locations are created between adjacent vanes, the constricting locations being located so as to increase velocity of the wind/air flowing through the channel upstream of the turbines, wherein the turbines are retractable;
• a computer-based control system configured to cause the each of said vanes to retract when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed threshold associated with the vanes;
• and
• an electric power subsystem configured to harness energy generated by the turbines and charge and/or re-charge the battery in the vehicle using the harnessed energy.

A method of making a system for charging and/or re-charging a battery in a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a channel having a body into which wind/air can flow;
• providing a plurality of turbines in the body of the channel, each said turbine being rotatable by the wind/air flowing through the channel;
• providing a plurality of vanes located in the body of the channel upstream of the turbines, wherein constricting locations are created between adjacent vanes, the constricting locations being located so as to increase velocity of the wind/air flowing through the channel upstream of the turbines as the vehicle moves, wherein the turbines are retractable;
• providing a computer-based control system configured to cause the each of said vanes to retract when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed threshold associated with the vanes;
• and
• providing an electric power subsystem configured to harness energy generated by the turbines and charge and/or re-charge the battery in the vehicle using the harnessed energy as the vehicle moves.