Potential platform for DIY parallel hybrid: Subaru Justy AWD

[MetroMPG]

I keep going past a car just like this one on the way to my sister & brother in law's place...



... and the crazy part of my brain can't resist imagining how it could be a good platform for a through-the-road hybrid conversion with electric drive to the rear drivetrain and a small, low voltage lithium pack.

PHEV Prius EV distances would work perfectly for me (12 miles or thereabouts, isn't it?).

[RobertSmalls]

Hmm. I never thought about using an AWD platform like that, but that is a great idea, and it could be applied to any 4WD vehicle.

The Justy is a very small platform, so things would be cramped. I'd imagine the gas tank and rear differential fill the space under the rear seats. Where would you put the electric motor?

If you didn't care about electric mode Wh/mi and gas mode mpg, you might consider a low-budget version of the idea using an S10 with lead-acid batteries under the bed.

[Old Mechanic]

Some of those had a CVT.

regards
Mech

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

The Justy is a very small platform, so things would be cramped. I'd imagine the gas tank and rear differential fill the space under the rear seats. Where would you put the electric motor?

Haven't stopped to look underneath, but wouldn't the diff be inline with the axis of the rear wheel hubs? One option might be to flip the diff 180 degrees so the drive shaft could come in from the rear and the e-motor could be located where the spare tire well is.

...Just random noodling...

If you didn't care about electric mode Wh/mi and gas mode mpg, you might consider a low-budget version of the idea using an S10 with lead-acid batteries under the bed.

I'm partial to a lighter, more efficient platform. Honda Civic Wagovan would be another option, maybe. But these AWD compacts are pretty rare any more. This particular Subaru is the only Justy I know of in this area. The rest are long gone.

[RobertSmalls]

Sometimes, Google Image Search still manages to surprise me with a picture that's too cool not to post:

[Daox]

lol...

[tasdrouille]

A 4x4 Kei car with a stick might fit the bill too!

[MetroMPG]

Martin: a good idea. Unique, and less rusty than an 18 year old Justy.

Robert: awesome find! And, oops, no room to flip the diff with that muffler in the way (though Mike D deleted his Insight's muffler to make room for his e-5th wheel).

Plan B: leave the rear diff as-is, cut the rear driveshaft, and sacrifice the footwell of one of the rear seat positions for a chain or belt drive connected e-motor.

[MetroMPG]

OR... delete the rear shaft & diff and go with one-wheel electric drive at the rear.

[AJI]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I keep going past a car just like this one on the way to my sister & brother in law's place...

... and the crazy part of my brain can't resist imagining how it could be a good platform for a through-the-road hybrid conversion with electric drive to the rear drivetrain and a small, low voltage lithium pack.

That. Is. Uncanny.

I was walking back from work today and saw a Suzuki Swift, which reminded me of the Justy as in the UK (not sure about over on your side of the pond), the second-gen Justy shared it's body with the Swift:

And the uncanny part? I was thinking exactly the same thing as you were musing on - replace the rear diff with an electric motor (or something along those lines) and have the option of the two systems, petrol and electric, either working with each other or being used independantly.

Justys are pretty cheap over here (Swifts are too) so apart from anything it wouldn't be a massive financial risk to attempt something like that.