Deciding on work vehicle

[AntiochOG]

Saw this truck on my way home from work today. Looks pretty similar to what you are looking to do.

[veloman]

They are a franchise. I asked for a quote for my lawn and never got a response. Not a bad idea, yes they are similar. I wonder how much extra fuel that roof rack is causing to be burned when they go above 50mph. If I mount solar PV, it will not be sticking out like that. Ideally my routes are so dense that I never need to go on the highway, but I can't be that picky while trying to build up my customer base.

[AntiochOG]

Based on where I live, I'm guessing that they don't need to drive above 35mph to get to most of their clients. I was surprised that they they didn't pick a more fuel efficient vehicle though.

[Fat Charlie]

A small utility trailer, yes- but enclose it. Conduit, coroplast and maybe some fiberglassing if you want to get really fancy. You'll get a cleaner look and better aero for not too much money. Instant billboard (and roof at Prius height with a blatant solar panel) too, and standing out visibly without looking like the company that can't even afford a truck.

[rmay635703]

Although I won't disagree with your EV truck reliability statement I really love
Kei trucks, of which there are a few legal examples, one guy in California has a street legal 6 speed dual range manual diahatsu hijet in Cali that came from the parks department.
The Miles zx40st truck although unreliable is very cheap and very simple, it can easily be converted to a diesel by the right person or reprogrammed for speed if you keep it electric. The st is not a kei truck, 5ft wide but with a 9ft bed!
Some examples have sold for $500.

The miles zx40 cargo van may be big enough for your stuff and again is very cheap and 100% interchangeable with the stateside daihatsu charade 1liter car.
Again easy drivetrain swap to a daihatsu charade 5speed 1 liter gasser, 40mph cargo van.

If you are looking more conventional a Prius V might be big enough inside to go trailerless.

If you plan on having a trailer no matter what
1. Gen1 insight
2. Volt (used they are just as cheap as a Prius)
3. Prius lift back.

Also domestic there are class vw rabibit diesel pickups 50mpg all day
Ditto Subaru 360 sambar pickups, 50mpg all day and street legal and just cool.

Yeah I know my choices / suggestions are odd but if you have mechanical skills you could have a much more memorable ride that grabs attention in of itself making folks notice your advertising.

Also if towing with something that does not normally tow, pay a few bucks for a weight distribution hitch and trailer brakes.
From personal experience if you have those two things you can give the middle finger to the safety idiots since it will then always pull straight, never fishtail and always stop.
Best upgrades I've made and in my mind should be standard equipment.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

So you think a truck would make you look more "professional"...

Take a look at this thread and get inspired: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...wap-33459.html

[freebeard]

2nd-hand Prius w/ reciever hitch for platform or trailer >> long wheelbase/tandem axle pickup conversion >> electric dump bed. Pay as you go from business profits.

I was in a landscaping cooperative in 19-mumble-mumble. We had a 1954 International with a 3/4 ton flatbed with side racks and a hydraulic dump. It's very important because when you are hauling bulk materials it halves the work.

It could be made from an aluminum trailer box of the appropriate width.Solar panel side racks hinged on the top could flip up so the one on the off side could catch light as well.

[veloman]

So I've been using a custom mower rack on my hitch for the last few weeks and really like it. I have a folding ramp that comes down off the right and if I park well, lands on the curb for a very shallow incline. It makes loading and unloading my mower super easy and fast. With this setup, I have no desire for a truck or trailer for my mowing jobs. I still may eventually get a trailer, but not sure it's needed if I just bag yard debris and leave at the curb for city pick up. The trailer would be useful if I do landscaping, but I don't want to rely on it every day.

A hatchback car is all that is needed for the rest of my tools. I would consider a Volt, but they still seem quite a bit more expensive than a 2nd gen Prius. Same with a Leaf, which I am more Interested in than I was before. A new one can be bought for 11,500 with this group buy deal and fed rebate. If only I was in the market for a vehicle in that price range....

Still I'm hoping to find a Prius with minor rear damage at the auction site. Would have to apply for a rebuilt title.

My rear rack setup is faster than any other pro setup. Fast no hassle parking, unload in 15 seconds. Highest mps.

[ME_Andy]

I saw you around town in the Focus a couple weeks ago. That's a good-looking, rather distinctive car.

[veloman]

So I bought an 04 Prius this week. I got a pretty good deal and it seems to be a good shape.

I removed the rear seats and some of the metal brackets/seat belts, as well as the silly cargo cover and heavy trunk mat. That was 65lbs, or 2% reduction.

I ordered a hitch on Amazon, will be installing it as soon as it arrives so I can start using it for work, carrying my lawn mower.

My question now is, what's the best method to apply a few hundred watt hours of battery storage to the car? I have some old, nearly useless lithium ebike batteries (24-48v range). If I'm doing 20 miles a day, I can effectively improve mpg by 5% with a 250wh battery supply. I may eventually use my large 3.5kwh Leaf battery, but want to start small.

Do I find a dc-dc convertor that will change 26v to 200v? I don't think there is anything readily available like that. What about suppling the 12v system? There must be a step down dc converter in the car that takes the 200v down to 12v for all the little electronics, and headlights, etc? Does it use the 12v battery as a buffer? I could easily send my power to that then.

Overall it may not sound worth it to many people. At 50mpg and $2 gas, it's only 4 cents a mile. And 10cents/kwh and 250wh/mile, that's 2.5 cents a mile for a savings of 1.5 cents a mile. For my average of 20 miles a day. I would be doing it more for the satisfaction of achieving a higher mpg. And making some use out of my 'useless' batteries sitting at home.

I also wouldn't mind adding a small solar PV panel, but weight and aero may make it prohibitive. I have two 120watt panels, but I think they are 40lbs each My parking spot at home gets a LOT of sun (I will want to shade it soon, to protect from heat). I am happy that the car already has fairly dark tints which is something I really wanted with all the hot sun we get in Austin. Also why I was set on the silver color.

As for other mods, I'll probably do aero hub caps, rear wheel skirts, some underbody smoothing with choroplast, windshield wiper blade shield, and maybe partially enclose my rear cargo rack with clear plexiglass for a partial boat tail. That aero work is obviously with more of an eye towards my highway driving and road trips. The intent is to make improvements with little or zero cost other than my time.

Another idea I have is a mechanical lever (bicycle shifter/cable) set to depress the accelerator at exactly the correct amount for "glide" mode (no transmission of power either direction). One nice thing about my driving is that I'm already doing a lot of 25-40mph around town due to traffic. Great opportunity to hypermile a bit and take advantage of the hybrid system. (lots of sitting stopped too).

I'm really excited that I finally have an efficient hybrid. It is very satisfying to have regen and not be idling needlessly.