[ausev] Series hybrids

[John Penry at Texrocks]

Somehow, GM thinks that they can produce a series hybrid in the Volt.  Maybe 
the Volt is what the software industry calls "Vaporware"????  So far, the 
youtube videos show it to be smoke and mirrors.

I have run across many stories of people who have created "home made" series 
hybrids -- such as the one about using a turbine engine to power a Hummer, 
and getting 60 to 80 mpg.

With a 72 mile round trip daily, and no way to charge up, it looks like I 
may have to keep my 31 mpg Honda.

If someone can build a series hybrid, I would buy it.  i think they would 
easily get 60 to 80 mpg, and could even be powered by renewable fuels.

John in Seguin


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christopher Robison" <chris at ohmbre.org>
To: <ausev at austinev.org>
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: [ausev] Series hybrids


> On Mon, 2007-12-03 at 17:26 -0600, John Penry at Texrocks wrote:
>> Thanks for the information.  I have a 36 mile trip each way to work, and 
>> no
>> way to plug in while at work.
>> I was thinking that creating a series hybrid similar to the GM Volt, 
>> would
>> be easier to do using a pickup, and I had thought that the engine
>> compartment could be used to place a motor from a motorcycle, snowmobile, 
>> or
>> small diesel.  After going by and taking a look at the Ford Rangers on
>> display this weekend, I'm beginning to wonder where all that electronic
>> stuff is going to go.
>>
>> I have read the work on the AC Propulsion Long Ranger, and thought that 
>> it
>> could go under the hood, and the batteries - only needing a 40 mile range
>> there would be a savings in weight and space required for the batteries, 
>> and
>> that could be used for the generator.  Maybe I'll have to wait for some 
>> of
>> the electronics to get miniaturized.
>
> The electronics are not really your problem. Based on lead-acid, a
> typical conversion filled with batteries with no space for a generator,
> usually gets about 35-40 miles.
>
> Using lithium (at 10 times the price for the same energy capacity)
> reduces required volume for the same energy by at least half, and weight
> by a factor of 4 or more. This would allow room for the generator, but
> probably not one large enough to allow arbitrary range (just guessing
> here) if you're limited to options available off the shelf today.
>
> The only way to do this in a small/light enough package is with a small
> engine running at very high RPMs (as the Long Ranger did) and a
> generator head capable of generating the appropriate voltage at that
> speed. As I understand ACP used their (very expensive) AC150 motor for
> that purpose. I have no idea what the Long Ranger sounded like, but I'm
> going to bet that it screamed, and would not last long in normal use.
> High power density in a generator is a pretty tough nut to crack. That
> Ossa manages it with diesel in under 600 pounds is pretty impressive in
> my opinion, but that's still over 15 cubic feet.
>
>
>
> -- 
> Christopher Robison
> chris at ohmbre.org
> http://ohmbre.org          <-- 1999 Isuzu Hombre + Z2K + Warp13!
>
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