Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Looks like my poor mans Hybrid just might have merit!

Nerys · 06-19-2008, 12:57 AM

sadly none of that will happen with my little project. The only "gauge" I plan to have is a volt meter and maybe an amp meter. I can not afford controllers monitors desulfators etc.. I plan to use junk yard batteries until I can afford enough NIMH batteries to make this work (if it proves successful with the leads first) Simple on off control. The only way I will know how well its working is when I calculate my MPG at the end of the week :-) Every other week if this works as well as I hope :-) hehehe

I do not see how a trailer battery can kill range with its own weight otherwise a battery EV could never work from the get go. UNLESS your using an unusually heavy trailer.

IF I had a pure EV and wanted to make a battery trailer I would make it 100% aluminum and PRECISELY as strong as it needed to be to hold the batteries safetly IE very very light.

Even one of those cheap $300 4x8 trailers would be too large and too heavy. I would want it light enough that I could pick it up with one hand (no batteries)

If your using a regular trailer then yes I can see that causing a problem eating up its own range. I also would want it small short and low enough to be inside the aerodynamic shadow of the towing vehicle so its add no aero penalties.

Building a trailer is not that hard and in my state at least very easy to register and make legal.

One other problem is that as you go heavier you may exceed the mass limit of your electric motor IE you might just need a larger motor to take advantage of the larger (and heavier) battery pack.

BTW I will kill to have a citicar :-) Very neat looking cars!

BTW I noticed your remark about EV range. To clarify I am not counting on ANY ev range at all. I would consider myself very very lucky if I managed to get my hands on an electric motor capable of opearting my van on electric alone. I am going on the assumption that its just going to "assist" my gas motor. My best hope is enough power to go from say 0-20-25 on EV power alone so I can turn off the engine as I come to a stop and not restart the engine again till I get to around 25 mph. but I think that is wishful thinking :-) I just do not have that kind of budget.

I might not be able to use any of these cheap motors on ebay as they all seem to be 200-300v motors ! I can not afford the cost and mass of so many batteries. :-(

06-19-2008, 12:57 AM	#47 (permalink)
Nerys Grrr :-) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Levittown PA Posts: 800 Cherokee - '88 Jeep Cherokee 90 day: 19.44 mpg (US) Ryo-Ohki - '94 Geo Metro Xfi 90 day: 50.15 mpg (US) Vger 2 - '00 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE Ninja - '89 Geo Tracker 90 day: 30.27 mpg (US) Thanks: 12 Thanked 31 Times in 25 Posts	sadly none of that will happen with my little project. The only "gauge" I plan to have is a volt meter and maybe an amp meter. I can not afford controllers monitors desulfators etc.. I plan to use junk yard batteries until I can afford enough NIMH batteries to make this work (if it proves successful with the leads first) Simple on off control. The only way I will know how well its working is when I calculate my MPG at the end of the week :-) Every other week if this works as well as I hope :-) hehehe I do not see how a trailer battery can kill range with its own weight otherwise a battery EV could never work from the get go. UNLESS your using an unusually heavy trailer. IF I had a pure EV and wanted to make a battery trailer I would make it 100% aluminum and PRECISELY as strong as it needed to be to hold the batteries safetly IE very very light. Even one of those cheap $300 4x8 trailers would be too large and too heavy. I would want it light enough that I could pick it up with one hand (no batteries) If your using a regular trailer then yes I can see that causing a problem eating up its own range. I also would want it small short and low enough to be inside the aerodynamic shadow of the towing vehicle so its add no aero penalties. Building a trailer is not that hard and in my state at least very easy to register and make legal. One other problem is that as you go heavier you may exceed the mass limit of your electric motor IE you might just need a larger motor to take advantage of the larger (and heavier) battery pack. BTW I will kill to have a citicar :-) Very neat looking cars! BTW I noticed your remark about EV range. To clarify I am not counting on ANY ev range at all. I would consider myself very very lucky if I managed to get my hands on an electric motor capable of opearting my van on electric alone. I am going on the assumption that its just going to "assist" my gas motor. My best hope is enough power to go from say 0-20-25 on EV power alone so I can turn off the engine as I come to a stop and not restart the engine again till I get to around 25 mph. but I think that is wishful thinking :-) I just do not have that kind of budget. I might not be able to use any of these cheap motors on ebay as they all seem to be 200-300v motors ! I can not afford the cost and mass of so many batteries. :-( Last edited by Nerys; 06-19-2008 at 01:05 AM..