Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
Further, every hybrid on the road could have a plug, use the same battery and gain 3-6 city miles of range.
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Perhaps when the EV systems become more powerful that makes sense. As it is, the Prius can only go about 1 mile on EV with a full charge. People with no access to charging will still prefer the price advantage of a hybrid over the bigger battery in a plug-in.
I'm not sure what minimum size battery would make sense in a truck and still produce sufficient power. My guess would be around 30 kWh. At a 2.5C discharge rate, that would give you a 100 horsepower electric boost. That's half the size and power of the Bolt EV battery and motor. Couple that with a 150-200 HP engine, and you might have a very capable and fuel efficient full-size truck.
Mount the 4-cylinder engine horizontally to make the truck FWD and you can eliminate the driveline and rear differential. Then mount the electric motor in the rear for part-time 4-wheel drive, and the battery under the bed to keep center of gravity as low as possible and shift some weight back so the truck rides smoother and handles better.
That's my idea for a hybrid truck, anyhow.