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Old 11-05-2018, 01:11 PM   #27 (permalink)
jray3
Karmann Eclectric
 
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Graham, WA
Posts: 165

Odysseus - '00 Honda Odyssey

MR BEAN - '12 Mitsubishi i-MiEV SE

Karmann Eclectric - '71 VW Karmann Ghia Electric Conversion

BOB - '87 Ford 250 Lariat ext cab
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Yes Ben, please build the SuperTruck while us wage slaves are stuck behind our desks daydreaming.....
I like the simplicity of a motor spliced into the driveline, but again, this is where a full-size pickup will be easier and should offer a greater percentage improvement. My 1987 diesel F250 has a two-piece driveline, and I'd certainly like to splice a motor into that fixed-position intermediate shaft.

Before that though, I need to electrify the accessories like vacuum pump and power steering. I'm thinking of un-modding my electric radiator fans, originally implemented due to a failed viscous clutch that kept the stock fan robbing horsepower all the time and the engine running cold. I've had trouble keeping the engine cool enough while towing under two different electric fan configurations.

With my simple 6.9 IDI engine, there's space to replace the dead AC compressor and/or alternator with a belt-driven boost motor, but I think there's more benefit in powering the driveline directly, (regardless of the tranny, but especially with an automatic). It would be very appealing to me (and I suspect many EcoModders) to be able to reposition the truck without cranking the engine. Whether for loading/unloading, or just jockeying the fleet around my 'estate', the short engine cycles are more painful...

But for my vote on your project, I'd say that the Solectria motor belted to the driveline should stay a contender (Gates polychain). You won't be able to use the motor on the highway much anyway, other than harvesting regen, so losing torque at high RPM isn't a big deal, that's when you'll be relying on the engine anyway.
I have a T-19 tranny and BW1345 transfer case set aside for my truck, but think that using a transfer case for the electric motor is less desirable than the a driveline splice. Despite adding gearing options, the efficiency losses of that extra chain drive should be a net negative.

Lastly, its a shame the EMIS by NetGain a decade ago never took off, but with Curtis AC drives available to replace the series motor that their system used, along with lithium replacing lead, it has potential for much better performance than the 18% improvement over the first 40 miles of each trip that David Hrivnak experienced.
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2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV, 112 MPGe
2000 Honda Odyssey
1987 F250 Diesel, 6.9L IDI, goes on anything greasy
1983 Grumman Kurbwatt, 170 kW "Gone Postal" twin
1983 Mazda RX-7 electric, 48 kW car show cruiser
1971 VW Karmann Ghia electric, 300 kW tire-smoker
1965 VW Karmann Ghia cabriolet, 1600cc
Have driven over 100,000 all-electric miles!
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