Actually there is a company somewhere down in Salida, CO I have heard that has figured out a way to have the electric motor assist the gas engine. It is not terribly expensive, and has been adapted to full-size Pickup trucks. It probably is not as sophisticated as something like a Prius but works similarly. It can't be that hard to mimic through software and sensors, the wheel rpm is decreasing, the accelerator is depressed, the car is decelerating, apply power to the electric motor for boost. A computer replaces the mechanical throttle pot. A dedicated micro-controller, some code, some A2D inputs... yeah piece of cake. Kidding but there are some hobbyists out there with the skills and hardware experience to make it happen.
I disagree that the motor/genset is the way to go, the amount of power the current breed of DC electric motors takes stretches the ability of a cheap compact fuel efficient ICE power plant. Given AC motor power to weight ratios were they and their controllers reasonably priced you could use an Alternator-based charging system but you incur the AC to DC to AC losses. Currently the small engine mechanically coupled with an electric boost is more efficient. Check out the Hypercar concept from Rocky Mountain Institute, the key to future electric and hybrids are cars that have gone on severe diets utilizing lightweight strong materials, lightweight batteries, super-insulated cabins, and some combination of ICE/electric drive/plug-in. The genset idea not to be seen even in a working viable prototype, other than the before stated locomotive. If you know of one send me the info. Jeff On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 10:03 PM, gmail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Not for nothing, IF the engine to genset was the way to go, don't you > >> think the car companies would have gone in that direction with their > >> hybrid designs? > > Indeed they do run this way as I understand them. The vaporware > > Chevy Volt is a series hybrid, or would be if the > > company ever builds it. This is just what a Prius or Honda hybrid > > does, except they also use the ICE for traction, and > > all manner of horribly complex interaction between e-motor and ICE. > > Indeed a series hybrid (generator/battery>motor>wheels) is much > simpler, you tell the electric motor how fast to turn the wheels and > the generator keeps the battery charged. > A parallel hybrid (engine and/or motor turns wheels) requires a > sophisticated control system to transition back and forth between the > engine and the motor. > The reason the car companies are going that route is that you get > both the engine and the motor working to accelerate the car. > > The Prius has the engine, a motor and a motor/generator all driving > the same gear train. > The engine can drive the wheels and the generator at the same time. > Both motor and motor/generator can drive the wheels for better > acceleration or low speed electric mode. > When you slow down the wheels can drive the generator. > One of the motors is used to start the engine. > > The software to orchestrate all this seamlessly is so complex that > Ford chose to license it from Toyota instead of developing it > themselves. > > Andrew in Ann Arbor Michigan > > > > >
