[dem45133]

Good day to all of you. Since I am a DIYer and have designed and built a few things that either didn't exist from standard manufacturing or simply were too expensive... this site appeals to me. I am "green" but only to a point as I do not believe at least 50% of the propaganda on all sides of the subject of Energy, Fuels, and Alt E... partly because big $ and governments wants us to believe what it wants us to believe and partially because of what I know of natural earth and cosmic sciences. I am an Environmental Scientist by trade and education (23 years) so I pick and choose what I believe has merit or not. I will also not discuss these kind of things as true or not true with any of you. That's not why I'm here. I like alt E and I researched wind E relatively extensively and have some ideas... but SW Ohio is very borderline on wind... or sun for that matter too. Return on investment is almost non-existent in this part of the country. Where sufficient winds exists, I think its cool, where sufficient solar days exists so is it. But neither work well in SW Ohio.

But being a tinkerer and a DIY type with a full shop... the idea of a home built hybrid has appeal. But as one who disdains small cars and has never been able to shake the "rolling coffin" feeling when in one, and has spent 40+ years driving full size land yachts, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks as primary with ~ 2.6 million miles under my belt, and generally weighed in a 4500 lbs or more (7200 for the 1 ton, 80k when I drove semi for three years) I feel totally vulnerable in small cars. I also know too much about the laws of physics. I also own and pull any of 5 trailers, none of which can be pulled by a 4 banger... and the latest requires the 1 ton Cummins as it weighs 12k. Don't waste your effort on converting me to small... it wont happen. But... I do need to offset my fuel costs on my 120 mile RT commute.

Now, I am farm born an raised and we chose to live in the country... which means long commutes and miles to do basically anything. Just the way it is. Cities and suburbviavilles just don't work for us... and I've been in almost all the major cities this country has and on both coasts... not interested in seeing them again. My nearest neighbor is 1000ft away... if it were a mile it would even be better.

Being this is the way it is... I need a electric that still caries the ICE when the battery gets low or I need to pull a trailer... but I also need to maintain 70 miles an hour continuous on E both uphill and down on a four lane partially limited access, as well as on twisty 55 mph country roads that are generally run at 62 mph, but you are constantly slowing for a 30 or 40 mph curves and re- accelerating and always climbing or coasting up or down hill. The southern part of our county couldn't make a 1000ft of level strait road if it added all the sections together. I'm not going to drive a four lane at less that 65 or 70, or less than 62 on a good country 2 lane... so that's my performance criteria.

Oh and we live on the peninsula end of a ridge.... that is up 10%+ slopes to get here... even after 118 miles of running when I get home from work. Battery bank has to have this reserve in it too. Has to get to the driveway.

So all the above being what it is... Small unit conversions will not work for multiple reasons... but I have the capacity for battery weight... and will will require a larger than normal DC motor or multiple small ones. But the more batteries the more charging amps require to charge overnight... but I can wire 40 amp 220 to anywhere too.

Ideas? (Other than telling me to go small...as I said it won't happen, but my fuel cost will be better than $500 month soon just to go to work 4 days a week... last fill up on the one ton cost $108 and will go 500 miles, same gallons on the 3/4 ton will only go 330 miles... constant hills and curves remember).