Electric Hitch pusher

[PASY]

Hello guys!
Maybe I don't search well enough... Is there info or discussions about the viability of an electric hitch pusher somewhere on the forum? Something like this:

Thanks!!

[PASY]

The electric trailer pusher I found...
Any other design?

[me and my metro]

Search for "range extender", I think that is what you are looking for.

[oil pan 4]

Not really much on electric ones here.
The problems are cost, range, battery maintenance, weight.
They almost all use liquid fuel.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If you're looking for a pusher trailer to use with your van, would probably expose its automatic transmission to a condition similar to flat-towing, which is not recommended (unless you fitted its rear axle with free-wheel hubs to enable it to be pushed without any harm to the transmission).

[PASY]

ok... bad idea for the van...
But, I'm just looking at options that could fit any car.
I just tested my suzuki SX4 2007 and I got 30.57MPG (us) on 50miles on both city and higway. I was EOCing very often... I'm not satisfied with that result. I thought there would be way...

Have you heard about this project:
http://99mpg.com/ProjectCars/ewheelforanyvehicl/

[oil pan 4]

Not many of the newer generations of autos can be flat towed with the engine off.

[oil pan 4]

It still takes the same amount of power to push the vehicle at speed, doesn't matter if it's electric or gasoline power.
Sees one would be better off doing normal cheap mods that work all the timw then sink a crap load of money into something electric that will only work part of the year where you are.

[jray3]

Yes, I've cogitated a lot on this one, as it is an attractive way to hybridize any vehicle and also provide range extension to a factory EV without hacking any OEM systems. I've built a trailer around an aircooled VW subframe and Kaylor-Kit but haven't run the drive system yet- am just using it as a camping trailer. (Which is another benefit of a trailer full of batteries, if you have a matching inverter.)

Weight is similar to my old aircooled VW ICE pusher trailer (now in heaven at the Historic Electric Vehicle Museum) That pusher caused a 25% loss in EV highway range when turned off and in Neutral, but enabled unlimited cruising on gasoline (but at only 20 mpg).

400 amps/30 V through the old Kaylor Kit aircraft starter-generator would certainly give a nice 12 kW punch leaving a stoplight and also provide regen coming down from high speed, but an automated clutch would be needed to prevent windage losses during steady-state cruising. My first attempt at a clutch actuator failed during testing of the ICE pusher. Gearing would have to be selected in advance, as acceleration and regen would happen only within a particular RPM band for each (power at say, 0-1500 RPM and regen at 3000 down to 1500 RPM, with the system power neutral at 1500 RPM). Such a system would also be a natural cruise control, adding power when below synchronous RPM and regen to slow things down when the motor is overhauling...

Now get fancy with a Curtis AC drive on there, and one could add power or bring on regen at any road speed.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Not many of the newer generations of autos can be flat towed with the engine off.

IIRC nowadays only some 4WD rigs are still suitable to flat-towing, as long as their transfer case can be switched to neutral. Maybe repurposing a transfer case into a driveshaft-disconnection setup would be a viable way to overcome this issue...