Diesel electric kit car, anyone? R. Q. Riley's latest takes shape (and looks good!)

[MetroMPG]

Claims: 125 equivalent mpg on only electric power; 225+ eMPG when combined with the diesel engine; 1300 lbs; 85 mph top speed.

A year and a half after kit designer Robert Q. Riley originally dreamed up his XR-3 three-wheeled, two-seater, plug-in hybrid kit car, it is now a reality. Sorry, 3D modelers, your job is now done; the first XR-3 hybrid has been built and plans for this greenmobile are now available for purchase.

Photo gallery (and witty comments) at: Jalopnik

[SVOboy]

Sweet deal,

[MetroMPG]

The official site also has updated photos now:

https://protected.hostcentric.com/rqriley/xr3.htm

and here's a direct link to the Jalopnik photo album:

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/xr3hybridkit/

[metroschultz]

The suspension is all air ride. They look like truck springs. How cool is that?
S.

[Christopher Jordan]

Ideal! That 3-wheel (tadpole) layout is how both of my trikes are now, and what I want to do with my Aspire: weight where I want it, safety, width, closable, aerodynamic...... I am very pleased Riley persisted!

The 2 Canadian trikes that I know of in production are wide open to the elements; NOT this one!

countersTrike

[bennelson]

Also on that sight is an image of a three wheeler somebody is building/built.



If you look close in the upper right, you can see that the back end is just a motorcycle with the engine and transmission left intact.

Add an electric motor up front, and you have a really nice poorman's hybrid, which DOESN'T need a complicated transmission!

[petty]

Nice engine and all. Reminds me of an article from automotto. That looks good and very economical. Just wondering what typical specification does it have?

___________________
Autopartswarehouse.com Car Mods.

[Blister]

Anyone heard anything else on this vehicle? Any builders, proof of mpg...etc...?

My dad and I are seriously considering the XR3 plans package. One problem I've found concerning cost already is the power plant. The kubota d902 is not very easy to find used since it isn't the engine for one of their tractors. The only thing I've found that they use this engine in is the kubota RTV900 series utility vehicle. The cheapest, used D902 I've found was $2700... out of the question.

Surely there's another engine comparable to this?

We unfortunately do not have the resources at this time to included the rechargeable electric system in the vehicle.

[roflwaffle]

There are diesels from china that put out ~25hp and go for ~$1000, but they weigh a few hundred pounds more than that Kubota engine. Two of the little 10hp ones would only be ~100bs more and put out ~20hp for ~$1000, but for the cost your best bet would be a small car (~1.5-2l) engine that can bolt up to a transmission w/ a buncha gearing options. If you absolutely positively have to go diesel, I'm 99% certain a 1.6L VW diesel with the proper gearing could pull ~110-120mpg in that vehicle with way more power available. Depending on the driving route/conditions, a small gasoline engine would do roughly the same w/ even more power available.

[Blister]

Unfortunately for me, I'm pretty sure that changing the size and/or horsepower of the engine would bring up problems that I am unable to solve. There's an education/ability issue hidden in there somewhere. Although I operate medium and heavy equipment, I have no mechanic skills or engineering experience. I hate to sound so defeatist but I think the most use I'm going to be in this project is in gathering materials.

My last light load tractor was a Yanmar and while I owned it, I checked out a lot of different chinese made diesel engines because I was hoping to replace the almost 30 year old engine in it. Even though it was japanese, it was used and maintained in china. One problem I always saw in reviews were poor spec standards. Parts made too thin or too thick and a lot of other problems with quality control which then turned into problems getting parts. I decided that even though many people had gotten very good engines from china, it was too big of a risk when considering the cost.

I was disabled a while back and I would like to check into a grant to take a somewhat local machinists course and take welding at the same time but that is yet to come. I basically have no knowledge of what I am about to start.

My current light to medium load tractor is a Kioti CK20 that has a 3 cylinder diesel and is 21hp. The engine for that is less expensive that the kubota and according to many reviews, just as dependable with parts being available here in the U.S.. I'm thinking this engine is very similar in size and may be an option. Just fishing for other, possibly cheaper ways to go.