Hybrid Conversion Kit

[Ladogaboy]

I just saw this... seems interesting. I'd want to see a lot more about the kit, though.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/this-cou...170717691.html

[VikAiRious]

Interesting, they said a plug-in hybrid, they didn't talk about the battery and mounting, just the electric motor fitting on the wheels.

Must see more to make a judgement - I think the trick is, that it's only a hybrid as long as the battery is charged???? And would only get better mileage then?

[voltbeaupre]

I would buy one as soon as it is available.

[solar_dave]

It would be interesting to see if it would fit my 2006 Colorado.

[Ladogaboy]

What I'm curious about is the battery pack. I hope that they aren't thinking about running it off of the native 12V system, though I could see that. Basically, car comes to a stop, engine shuts off, and the 12V battery kicks the hub motors to get the car moving and start the motor.

It is interesting that they compared the system to a true hybrid... I wonder if they are overestimating the capabilities a bit? Reminds me more of the Hyundai idle stop than anything else. Or at least, somewhere between that and Honda's IMA.

[OhioEE]

I read another article on this. The battery and controller components were bought off the shelf. Mass production should bring a smaller and cheaper package for those. What seems to be unique here, is the motor itself. What also isn't mentioned in the article is that normally configured DC motors mounted directly to the wheel adds quite a bit of mass, which I have read creates a very rough ride. You want your entire hub assembly to quickly respond to potholes and the car itself not to. If you blow out your tire or warp your rim every time you hit a big pothole, this would not seem to be practical. If the amount of mass this adds is negligible or can be offset with proper engineering, then this could be a big practical leap forward.
What I will be watching for is a critique on how this affects ride quality.

[OhioEE]

Good video here:
http://mtsunews.com/wheel-hub-retrofit-update/

[adric22]

I'm not sure it would ever reach a level of integration with the vehicle that would make it feel like a real hybrid to me. As long as the engine is still having to idle to run the A/C and steering systems, and requires a 12V low-speed starter motor... not a real hybrid.

However, I believe the wheel-hub motor has great potential for enthusiasts who like to convert cars to electric power. In fact, where I see this as being a HUGE benefit is the ability to convert a regular car into a serial hybrid or an E-Rev. See, I've thought about this before. If you wanted to create your own E-REV, then you need to keep the I.C.E. in the car. The best place for an ICE is right where it was designed to go. You could simply remove the transaxle and connect a starter/generator directly to the ICE. Then you could actually use these wheel-hub motors to drive the car. If they have as much torque as the guy says the have, that shouldn't be an issue. Although I am curious about their top-speed.

[Raymondjram]

I believe that this will help more those vehicles that travel in slow traffic (less than 25 MPH) as in cities. I am one of those and I know this will help me save gas consumption, since my Buick 231 CI V6 ICE is a gas guzzler, but I can keep the engine in a slow idle (less than 600 RPM) and let the electric motors move the vehicle at slow speeds. When I reach a highway, I can put the ICE in drive and turn the motors off. The next step is a reverse switch on the brake pedal, so the electric motors work as regenerators to recharge the battery when I slow down.

I wish to see the kit produced, and I can become a re-seller and installer for local vehicles which need to be hybrids to save money, too.

[Ladogaboy]

What I will be watching for is a critique on how this affects ride quality.

I, too, am very curios about the cost benefit of these, and that would be measured as much in driving experience as anything else. If they are designing these primarily for FWD commuter cars, I think the impact of the hub rotor will be very small since (suspension wise) you can get a way with the most in the rear.