Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerys
WHAT type of Horse Power do I need? How do I figure it out? Vehicle mass 3700 pounds.
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Thorough bred hp is good for topspeed, clydesdale hp gives you more torque...
As for how much hp your motor should be, what does a Prius have? 25hp? You have probably double the drag and weight by the time you add everything so double a Prius. I guess it also depends on when you will be in electric mode. 35mph and under? 60mph up hills? For most industrial application the general rule is that you need half as much hp using an electric motor vs a gas motor. But if you only need 30 hp to go 50mph on flat ground and thats acceptable maybe its all you need.
Not to burst your bubble, but maybe something like a late 80's dodge shadow that shared many parts with the late 80's caravan would be a better platform for this. I seem to recall that there was an AWD caravan back then and hopefully the rear axle is interchangable with the shadow? I don't know for sure it would be a simple swap but it would put you ahead in aero drag and lose over 1000lbs in weight.
I'll bet a good running dodge shadow is sub $500 to get you started.
Ian