Building a diesel electric car...maby

[NapaBavarian]

Hokay I've had this one on my mind for a while, something to be different ( as if I need more ) and be able to drive arround a bit more than I can right now, besides, I might need to move an hour away too BFE in a year or so, so, I'm back to thisidea, and I wasn't thinking of using an SVX, I have a 2 door mini Cherokee, a 2 door full size Cherokee, a VW GTI, get a Legacy Outback (or use my old legacy if I can afford the fees ), perhaps a Vanagon, or (my favorite other than an SVX) an e36 BMW...maby an e28 or an e30, finally, perhaps a full size short bed pickup or Bronco, choice depends largely on final use.

Here is the trouble, full electric dosn't have a good (actually quite bad for my use) cost/benifit ratio, and I can easily top $600/month fuel, so if I move this could really help out, besides being cool, and blowing that silly 35mpg regulation out of the water!

I have found websites devoted to building an electric car, but I'm still trying to figure out how the diesel driven generator would fit into this whole equation, and then I'll need to properly size it to assist the batteries, help charge them, and likley run whenever I drive up hill.

The good news is that I can use the engine at peak effiency at all times, now I gotta make it work

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by NapaBavarian

Hokay I've had this one on my mind for a while, something to be different ( as if I need more ) and be able to drive arround a bit more than I can right now, besides, I might need to move an hour away too BFE in a year or so, so, I'm back to thisidea, and I wasn't thinking of using an SVX, I have a 2 door mini Cherokee, a 2 door full size Cherokee, a VW GTI, get a Legacy Outback (or use my old legacy if I can afford the fees ), perhaps a Vanagon, or (my favorite other than an SVX) an e36 BMW...maby an e28 or an e30, finally, perhaps a full size short bed pickup or Bronco, choice depends largely on final use.

Here is the trouble, full electric dosn't have a good (actually quite bad for my use) cost/benifit ratio, and I can easily top $600/month fuel, so if I move this could really help out, besides being cool, and blowing that silly 35mpg regulation out of the water!

I have found websites devoted to building an electric car, but I'm still trying to figure out how the diesel driven generator would fit into this whole equation, and then I'll need to properly size it to assist the batteries, help charge them, and likley run whenever I drive up hill.

The good news is that I can use the engine at peak effiency at all times, now I gotta make it work

Did you see the Datsun 210 4 door electric DRAG car on the Speed channel a month ago? If a small diesel could be rigged to run a generator and use that tech, you could get outstanding mileage AND go fast! They were getting 11 second quarter miles out of it.

It had rubber blown up over both quarter pannels.
They used a 4 speed manual with a lithium battery and a fork-lift type motor and relays.
They were plugging it in between runs. (that's where the diesel comes in.)

[michael]

Tear out that gas gti motor and insert 1.6TD, easy swap. All you need is a different filler neck. 50mpg FTW!!!

[NapaBavarian]

Originally Posted by michael

Tear out that gas gti motor and insert 1.6TD, easy swap. All you need is a different filler neck. 50mpg FTW!!!

I could, or a TDI, either way those are difficult engines to find, but not as difficult as a few years ago! The TDI would make a road warrior out of it, but nothing says I can't hava a TDI GTI and a Diesel Electric elsewhere

[demonsvx]

Heres my plan for a electric car. Since we all love Subaru's, get a FWD model but get the parts in the back for AWD. Hook up electric drive/generator to rear diff,some batteries,wiring,etc. Drive on gas, charge batteries(or charge some other way) switch gas to electric after you get up to speed. Of course this is my basic concept but I did see where somebody pulled the Subaru motor, installed a electric motor in its place and kept the AWD

[NapaBavarian]

It had crossed my mind

Originally Posted by demonsvx

Heres my plan for a electric car. Since we all love Subaru's, get a FWD model but get the parts in the back for AWD. Hook up electric drive/generator to rear diff,some batteries,wiring,etc. Drive on gas, charge batteries(or charge some other way) switch gas to electric after you get up to speed. Of course this is my basic concept but I did see where somebody pulled the Subaru motor, installed a electric motor in its place and kept the AWD

[NapaBavarian]

I have no TV service but I have seen pictures, pretty sweet! The main issue I have is tying a generator into the system, but maby I just need to start by building an electric car and tie the generator in later, being in California the easiest thing to do is build an electric car and get it registered as electric, then add the generator later, remember, we are only liberal if you do it exactly our way!

Originally Posted by subi-crosser

Did you see the Datsun 210 4 door electric DRAG car on the Speed channel a month ago? If a small diesel could be rigged to run a generator and use that tech, you could get outstanding mileage AND go fast! They were getting 11 second quarter miles out of it.

It had rubber blown up over both quarter pannels.
They used a 4 speed manual with a lithium battery and a fork-lift type motor and relays.
They were plugging it in between runs. (that's where the diesel comes in.)