Article: Forklift tech builds plug-in "5th wheel" EV pusher for Camry

[MetroMPG]

From: Forklift inspires add-on hybrid device | New Hampshire NEWS02

Gugger said with his device, a Toyota Camry could get 50 to 60 miles per gallon, a nearly 100 percent increase. “Say you had a 20-mile ride to work. By the time you get there, your batteries would be pretty much depleted. Plug them in during the day, and then when you come home, the same thing.”

Not too many technical details other than:

• hitch-mounted
• uses a golf cart motor (17 hp peak)
• single trailer tire
• 48 volts (4x 12v marine batteries)
• "through the road" parallel system: can either push the car on its own, or assist the gasoline engine

After more than four years of work and three prototypes, Gugger said he's ready to sell the device's patent and have other people apply the finishing touches. He would also be willing to work with others — perhaps move to a fourth prototype — if he can entice a team of collaborators.

He thinks its shelf price will be around $4,000 to $5,000 and that it will eventually come in three sizes.

He justifies the price by saying, that's about the price differential to get a hybrid, and this system has the advantage of being transferrable to your next vehicle.

[tjts1]

Who is going to want this thing hanging off the back of their car?

[Flakbadger]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Who is going to want this thing hanging off the back of their car?

+1 to that, it's not even in an attractive fairing or anything!

Thanks for the link though Metro, it's definitely food for thought.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Who is going to want this thing hanging off the back of their car?

If it doubled my mileage, i would.

[mechman600]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Who is going to want this thing hanging off the back of their car?

Who wants a big ugly boat tail hanging off the back of their car? Kind of the same idea. Function over form.

I think it's a cool idea.

[tortoise]

Add a seat, fork and front wheel, you could convert it to a motorcycle.

[NeilBlanchard]

It's a parallel hybrid in the reverse of how I had considered one. If you had an EV and you wanted to get long range, you could put a small engine on a setup similar to this and drive at highway speeds in a single gear.

I wonder how it deals with turning scrub; assuming that the single wheel is only pivoting up and down?

[brucey]

Wow, I might try this with my motor I have setting around, instead of selling it.

[euromodder]

That bloke is already thinking of selling patents.

Apparently he doesn't know the fifth wheel thing has been done before, so there is previous evidence, and nothing to patent.

[RiderofBikes]

any revision or restructuring or ground built prototype, can and would need a seperate patent to be legit to that specific design... while there have been others to make this same type of system, they are not equal.