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Adding a motor to the belt in your engine compartment is pretty much a description of GM's "Mild" hybrid BAS (belt-alternator-starter) technology.
That's the system used on the Chevy Malibu Hybrid. It only gets about 2 mpg better than the regular Malibu.
I think a clever home-builder might be able to do something similar, but with a bigger MPG gain.
Perhaps a system like this on a manual transmission vehicle with a good kill switch might work.
Coast to stop signs. Pull away with your Air-conditioning replacement, and turn on the gas once you get going!
I would think this would be more efficient on a car smaller than a Malibu.
I believe the GM "mild-hybrid" system is 36V. A 3 or 4 battery system should work fine on a small car. The Etek motor I have in my motorcycle would work great!
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