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newguyintown · 08-05-2011, 05:39 PM

Thanks for your quick replies everybody,

Frank Lee, I actually did look at that discussion quite in depth before posting this. There's a lot of good info there.
I was thinking of mounting the batteries on the bottom of the car. They would weigh a few hundred pounds, but if placed properly could offset the weight of not having a transmission, and the reduction in weight from a "large" engine to a small generator.

Daox, yeah it's going to be a pretty hefty battery pack. I don't think it's going to be quite 16kwh though because the chevy volt has a 16kwh battery pack for 40mi of range, and the CRX is lighter and has a lower drag area. According to the calculator on this website, it should take about 4.3kw to maintain 45mph, so if I were going at 45mph for an hour it would take 4.3kwh of battery. But I have to deal with start and stop, acceleration etc.(regenerative braking should help but not eliminate this problem) So in order to get 40mi of city range(less than 45mph top speed) I'm thinking I need to make my battery pack around 6kwh. If I get around 30-35mi of range it should still be ok, and I can always add more later if need be.

08-05-2011, 05:39 PM	#11 (permalink)
newguyintown EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Mississippi Posts: 22 Thanks: 21 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for your quick replies everybody, Frank Lee, I actually did look at that discussion quite in depth before posting this. There's a lot of good info there. I was thinking of mounting the batteries on the bottom of the car. They would weigh a few hundred pounds, but if placed properly could offset the weight of not having a transmission, and the reduction in weight from a "large" engine to a small generator. Daox, yeah it's going to be a pretty hefty battery pack. I don't think it's going to be quite 16kwh though because the chevy volt has a 16kwh battery pack for 40mi of range, and the CRX is lighter and has a lower drag area. According to the calculator on this website, it should take about 4.3kw to maintain 45mph, so if I were going at 45mph for an hour it would take 4.3kwh of battery. But I have to deal with start and stop, acceleration etc.(regenerative braking should help but not eliminate this problem) So in order to get 40mi of city range(less than 45mph top speed) I'm thinking I need to make my battery pack around 6kwh. If I get around 30-35mi of range it should still be ok, and I can always add more later if need be.