View Full Version : Universal "Plug In Hybrid" retrofit
A plug in Hybrid retrofit kit? looks to be closer than one would think. Just saw a small video piece Yahoo did on this, and looked it up. In the Yahoo video, Charles states they are aiming for a $3,000 out the door price. When asked of the install specifics, he states "As a gear-head, I would say If you can change your brakes, you can probably install this kit"..."80% of us drive 40 miles or less at 45 mph or less. That is the market this is designed for". If this effectively doubles the MPG rating of a vehicle, adding this to a cheap, sporty, and fuel efficient used car like a base engine 1.8 liter 6th gen Celica for example, would yield a 60-70 mpg car. I think a kit like this, as affordable as this, would put a Home solar bank on many more Americans radar. The break even timeline would be shortened by a substantial margin (depending on how much you commute), especially if 2 household vehicles were utilizing the off-the-grid bank in tandem with your House. Small Businesses would cut their fuel bill in half, Local A.F.V. tax breaks, and a bonus Federal Tax incentive for offering a public charging station. Anybody else caught off guard by this? Brings to mind watching Gattaca years ago, and seeing all the classic mid 20th century cars being parked and plugged into charging stations. How fanciful and far off this image seemed.
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Yahoo "This Could Be Big" webisode (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/this-could-be-big-abc-news/kit-turns-car-hybrid-170717691.html)
MrQuick
09-07-2012, 08:53 AM
I have been keeping my eye on this. We had an idea to do an add on unit, similar to size and weight as a gear vendors unit. Basically bolts to the rear of the trans and feeds the rear wheels. You would have to run a 4x4 version of the popular transmissions.
Its encouraging to see more progress.
DartorDemon
09-07-2012, 09:02 AM
I'll pass. I generally think Hybrids are going to be a novelty technology in 20yrs. We're just too damn close to algae fuel.
LeighP
09-07-2012, 06:42 PM
Good idea, as it would work just the same with a fuel cell as it does with batteries/home charging...for when fuel cells are the preferred technology.
MrQuick
09-07-2012, 08:37 PM
I'll pass. I generally think Hybrids are going to be a novelty technology in 20yrs. We're just too damn close to algae fuel.
It maybe but I like to look at it more of a stepping stone to something greater.
I would install it on my Camaro! bet that would be fun on the auto cross
MrQuick
09-07-2012, 08:49 PM
all wheel drive would be fun-er.
BTW, Awesome site Rodney, makes me want to build another CP camaro and get back into it. Its been 13 years.
all wheel drive would be fun-er.
BTW, Awesome site Rodney, makes me want to build another CP camaro and get back into it. Its been 13 years.
all wheel drive is just a dream of mine, someday, someday
thanks on the site
Skip to 2:47. In five years, they've come along way with the design.
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The E-85 cluster, which I was a proponent of, taught me a valuable lesson on independent research. Since that slice of humble pie, I've been following the switchgrass side of cellulosic ethanol's. If you haven't looked into it, it's pretty compelling stuff. Creating a new domestically produced commodity that's grown by American farmers (even in soil that would normally be unsuitable for anything else), High octane, low hydrocarbon, and numerous by-product fringe benefits. If they can get the breakdown (http://www.greentechmedia.com/green-light/post/uc-berkeley-why-switchgrass-matters-and-algae-by-the-numbers/)perfected, we'll be set. I'll read up on the algae tech to see what's what.
Good thinking on the Rally/Autocross application. 3G is common for a set of wheels, seems a bargain for a bolt on 4wd system. A Economy/performance switch would be easy to integrate along with a LCD to show you the status and discharge rate.
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