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Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile
Can your van be flat towed? If so it's often at low speed and short distances. A vacuum pump is a fairly easy thing to add, power steer less off the genset less so.
Frankly, a Prius ($5k) and DIY camper trailer ($2k) is going to cost you a lot less than this project, once you factor in the fuel savings. Servicing a Prius at the local dealer costs $140, at a time when most charge $350-400, generally rock solid reliability and super easy to work on too. If you know when the EMP is coming you could just sell before then. 50+ MPG (vs 10-15) buys a lot of servicing and parts.
I'm not convinced that using a genset to make electricity to power motors will make your van efficient. How will the vehicle accelerate? It's all well and good to calculate 18Kw needed to cruise at 55, but you'll need probably double that to have any acceleration let alone dealing with hills. Will the controller be able to run directly off the unfiltered genset? Will you actually need batteries so that the slightest incline or acceleration doesn't trip the safety systems? At the very least you'll need a ~40kwh genset to handle hills and headwinds. If you build the system just for flat road 55mph cruising you'll only be getting that theoretical 24mpg for a smaller amount of time.
Start with getting what you have now working efficiently, with an eye for future possible hybridisation. That's why I'd start with power steer, power brakes and making the thing capable of EOC, you'll need that stuff down the line anyway. Same with other tried and tested aeromods, E-Fans etc. You'll still benefit from them down the line.
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The van has been flat towed, and I've rolled down Cajon pass with the engine off no problem. Could a clutch be added post-transmission to prevent the need for the trans fluid to circulate?
How many of those Prius dealers are around the country who will service for $140? What happens when the Prius needs servicing in Deadhorse, AK? Or in St. Johns, Newfoundland? Or Eastern Montana? Hellow thousand dollar tow bill! The rig I have can at least be jerry rigged to make it back to civilization, modern cars cant. I think a decent Prius would cost waaay more than 5K, and likely needs major servicing in one year for less than 5K.
Nobody knows when the inevitable EMP will hit and fry all modern electronics, the power grid, and all modern cars. Even if the Prius was faradayed, one would have to basically carry a Prius behind their Prius to keep it operational well into the post-EMP world. Due to the hyperspecialized parts and plastic composite body (I wouldn't be surprised if they're working on making car chassies out of plastic composites, if not already in the newest cars), new cars depend more on manufacturing and society working than ever! Most of the parts on older cars can be fabricated in a machine shop if need be.
I thought electric motors have max torque at 0 RPM? Yes; the van would accelerate like a freight train at 22kw, doesn't rapid accelaration and high speed take more energy than gradual acceleration and lower speeeds?
So what I am reading here is swap the carb, tune up the engine, fit aero mods to more than double the mileage?
P.S.: The van can't pass California smog.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard
No.
Out of tune is not detuned. There goes half the budget right there. The low-cost stuff is hypermiling and aerodynamics. With those three you can surely double the mileage.
To triple it would require every trick in the book—alternator delete, LED lights, aerospace coatings and lubricants on all moving parts, low rolling resistance tires — and a full boat tail.
Quadruple? 30mpg? You tell us, we'd all love to hear the plan.
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The cost to triple the fuel economy will take 100,000+ miles to make up for in fuel savings.