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nimble,
What you say probably makes sense from a practical view point, although, I fear your dollar estimates are a bit off.
But, where's the fun in that? Leave the dreary OEM already engineered to death stuff to boring practical folk.
We are dealing with "The Mad Technician" here who is set on satisfying his inner geek. I think most of us here have an inner geek. We just don't have the bullocks/lack of sense to act on it! Well, some of us don't. Many here have. Perhaps some day I will try something as well rather than just read of it.
I hope chris does this and ends up kicking the pants off prius numbers, which can be done with a little hypermiling thrown in.
Chris, if you do end up placing a motor/generator/starter where the PS pump used to live, will you keep the alternator?
It would be nice to lose it as well, but, would require added circuitry to maintain 12V functions. I think we have already determined that an electric motor assist should operate at a considerably higher voltage to keep the weight of such components manageable. Leaving the alternator to handle this will save you a fair bit of wiring and componentry.
As for a belt drive system having the torque capabilities to handle this duty, I don't see that being a problem. Ribbed serpentine belts in modern cars can easily power an AC compressor and all the other bits. AC compressors by themselves a fair number of hp.
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