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JSH · 08-15-2022, 07:32 PM

Hello Jerod,

In mild hybrids the electric motor is generally sandwiched between the engine and transmission or connects to the engine through the accessory belt. The way to get components is to look in junkyards or buy them as service parts from automakers. - you aren't going to get new ones from tier 1 suppliers.

I don't understand what you mean by P1/P4 and P2.

I have 2 Chevy vans. The first is an 2004 Astro van with a 4.3L V6 and 4 speed automatic. I converted it to a campervan about 6 years ago and added 2 inches of lift. The 2nd is a 2011 Chevy Express 4500 with a 6.6L Duramax , six speed auto and an ambulance body. It is getting converted to an RV.

I spent some time thinking about how to make the Astro a hybrid and the easiest way I could think of was to connect the electric motor through a 4x4 transfer case. The 4.3L was used for a bunch of 4x4 or AWD applications so a 4x4 transfer case is cheap and easy to find and bolts right up. Attach the electric motor of your choice to the output spline of the transfer case and you have a hybrid.

I'm not good at coding or controls so I was thinking of a simple stand-alone system to control the electric motor with an off-the-shelf controller and a simple lever for throttle. Push it forward and you add electric power, center is nothing, pull it back for regen. I'd add a gate to the shifter lever so the lever couldn't be accidentally knocked out of neutral.

Engage 4x4 and put the transmission in neutral and you could run the vehicle at low speeds on electric power alone without turning the engine.

Engage 4x2 and the vehicle runs just like stock with the electric motor disconnected from the transmission.

The concept of unsprung weight is pretty simple when you break it down. Sprung weight is anything on the body side of the suspension's spring. Unsprung is anything on the wheel side of the spring. The actual suspension components are partially sprung but there is no need to complicate things when talking about hub motors.

EDIT: XL Hybrids has a hybrid conversion for the Express / Savanna

https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/ima...sRs1Qqxu1fgenw

08-15-2022, 07:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
JSH AKA - Jason Join Date: May 2009 Location: PDX Posts: 3,501 Adventure Seeker - '04 Chevy Astro - Campervan 90 day: 17.3 mpg (US) Thanks: 309 Thanked 2,067 Times in 1,397 Posts	Hello Jerod, In mild hybrids the electric motor is generally sandwiched between the engine and transmission or connects to the engine through the accessory belt. The way to get components is to look in junkyards or buy them as service parts from automakers. - you aren't going to get new ones from tier 1 suppliers. I don't understand what you mean by P1/P4 and P2. I have 2 Chevy vans. The first is an 2004 Astro van with a 4.3L V6 and 4 speed automatic. I converted it to a campervan about 6 years ago and added 2 inches of lift. The 2nd is a 2011 Chevy Express 4500 with a 6.6L Duramax , six speed auto and an ambulance body. It is getting converted to an RV. I spent some time thinking about how to make the Astro a hybrid and the easiest way I could think of was to connect the electric motor through a 4x4 transfer case. The 4.3L was used for a bunch of 4x4 or AWD applications so a 4x4 transfer case is cheap and easy to find and bolts right up. Attach the electric motor of your choice to the output spline of the transfer case and you have a hybrid. I'm not good at coding or controls so I was thinking of a simple stand-alone system to control the electric motor with an off-the-shelf controller and a simple lever for throttle. Push it forward and you add electric power, center is nothing, pull it back for regen. I'd add a gate to the shifter lever so the lever couldn't be accidentally knocked out of neutral. Engage 4x4 and put the transmission in neutral and you could run the vehicle at low speeds on electric power alone without turning the engine. Engage 4x2 and the vehicle runs just like stock with the electric motor disconnected from the transmission. The concept of unsprung weight is pretty simple when you break it down. Sprung weight is anything on the body side of the suspension's spring. Unsprung is anything on the wheel side of the spring. The actual suspension components are partially sprung but there is no need to complicate things when talking about hub motors. EDIT: XL Hybrids has a hybrid conversion for the Express / Savanna https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/ima...sRs1Qqxu1fgenw Last edited by JSH; 08-15-2022 at 07:42 PM..