Need some input - Bolt on electric motor assist
 

So here's the idea:

I already plan to remove power steering in favor of a manual rack to reduce drag on the motor (I have a light car anyway). This opens up a location for a belt and an electric motor.

Why couldn't I put a 12v DC motor in the location with a couple ft.lb of torque to assist the gas engine? To complete the system I could run it with a separate battery and charge it with solar cells and/or back emf from the motor. It could be setup to switch on when the clutch is out and the throttle is over a certain percent for acceleration assistance, or set to switch on when the cruise control is activated for cruising motor assist.

I realize that this setup would not be as effective as a full on hybrid because the motor would probably not be strong enough to start the engine so I wouldn't be shutting the gas power off at every stop, but it seems like a little bit of assistance would allow the same power output with less throttle and therefor save a little gas.

Anyway it is just an idea at this point and I am looking for input or suggestions.

Thanks,

they make that.

there is a company that has an electric motor that you put on your rear wheels (on a front wheel drive car) to assist in the propulsion. I think the setup was around 3 grand. the concept is sound but to overcome the initial cost would take a lot. I can't remeber the company though. I have seen it on here. maybe you could search it.

if you wanted to do it, all it would take is money.

*edit* found it https://www.gassavers.org/showthread....ghlight=hybrid it is in the first post. I wouldn't go this far though. it is pretty extreme

Personally, I wouldn't think it's worth it to put less than about a 3HP motor in there that can move the car at low speed.

My hybrid conversion idea, is for a huge flywheel in the spare tire well that is used as a Faraday dynamo and motor, and two Faraday dynamo/motors on the rear wheels. Braking regen is used to accelerate the flywheel, then the energy in the flywheel is tapped for acceleration. It will all only run at a couple of volts, but the amps will be huge. One issue I haven't thought out yet, is how to restrict RPM of the flywheel. Maybe something is possible with bleedover into 2V deep cycle lead acid cells, that could store startup power, i.e. whenever the car had been off for a while you'd run those flat to get the first mile or so.

I read about that, but i am talking about something on a much smaller and simpler scale. This is kind of a school project idea, but I am not interested in adding hundreds of pounds of batteries and motors to my car. I am looking at one additional battery and one small motor. Also, this one would be mounted at the engine so it is not contributing to unsprung weight like the wheel motors would.

Thanks for the input though.

Also, I am not interested in moving the car on electric power alone. I don't want to add enough lead (batteries) to store that much energy. My particular car sees mostly highway miles where only a small percentage of the available horsepower is required to maintain the car at speed. My thinking is that if 12hp is required to maintain 65 and I can add 1 or 2 electric hp, then that is 8-17% less energy the gas engine has to put in, so it can maintain speed at lower throttle and use less gas. Also, I do not plan to charge the battery with the alternator, but instead use solar cells on my huge trunk lid and possibly harness the back emf of the motor when I am decelerating, since it would still be spinning anyway.

Total investment would be a motor, a battery (which I have laying around), a mounting bracket and some wiring and relays. These parts would cost much less than the aforementioned hybrid ideas, though they may not yield the extreme city miles.

If you got the right electric motor you could setup a simple logic to make it recharge the battery on decel and when you are idle in exchange for assist on acceleration and cruise.

That is precisely the plan.

Isn't this idea that GM used with the Saturn Vue hybrid? Uses the alternator as an assist motor. Might be something that you could dig out of a wrecing yard for a reasonable price.

Phil