On 30 Jun 2025 at 18:08, t ray via EV wrote:

> Mother Earth News magazine reviewed and sold plans for a DIY hybrid. 

I remember that.  IIRC it used a mil-surplus aircraft generator for the 
motor.  Quite a few hobbyist EV conversions of that era used them.

> a generator powered by a FIVE HP lawnmower engine 

I'm skeptical that such a small engine could keep up with power use on the 
highway.  Around town it would probably do OK.

Consider the tiny King Midget.  It weighed only 300kg, but needed a 12hp 
Kohler engine to reach a top speed of 50mph (80 km/h).

The big problem with either car was that those one-lung engines with air 
cooling and simple carburetors were filthy gross polluters.

> There was regenerative braking, when few people knew what that was. 

You got that free with an aircraft generator and a simple contactor 
controller.  

> The Opel GT body somewhat resembled a smaller Mako Shark 1965 Corvette
> coupe, so it was a good choice for the aerodynamics. 

Back in the early 1970s, my neighbor had one of these, with the original 
gasoline engine.  I'm pretty sure that under that handsome skin - which I 
remember as more resembling a 1968 Corvette - they were pretty much just 
Opel Kadetts.  That made them light and efficient though.

David Roden, EVDL moderator & general lackey

To reach me, don't reply to this message; I won't get it.  Use my 
offlist address here : http://evdl.org/help/index.html#supt

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