HEMI V8...hybrid
 

Eco + Muscle: 2009 Your Drive Makeover

May have been posted, but I still thinks it's sorta cool...

Although my only question is WHY?

I think a V8 is excessively oversized in a street vehicle unless it's a large truck.

I wonder what if he started with a large pickup truck. He'll still have a V8 but he'll be able to put even more batteries in it to increase its EV mode range.

They sure are fun! :cool:

28 Exide Orbital AGM lead-acid batteries! That would retail for about $5600, more than twice the cost of wet cell lead-acid.

Unfortunately, since they added 1000 lbs of batteries, I'm sure it's no longer a fun car with good handling. The gas-mode fuel economy will have dropped due to the extra weight, and the electric range and acceleration of the vehicle is limited by the fact that it's carrying the V8 engine and driveline around everywhere.

On the same budget, I bet you could get a more powerful electric motor for thrills, ditch the V8, and add a small gas or diesel range extender for cruising. This would solve their packaging problems, and may allow them to keep the rear seats.

It's still a cool car.

I think a large truck is excessively oversized for any human being to drive daily unless he has a payload.

Why? In this case, I think the basic goal is to sell magazines with infomercials as articles.

That payload could be the batteries!

They lost me when they stated the Challenger was an inexpensive car. A lot of money went into this project and even though it looked like they knew how to mod a car it's pretty obvious their battery knowledge is a bit on the outdated side.

:rolleyes:

There will always be a market for performance cars, no matter how expensive gas is. Making these vehicles more efficient does far more towards reducing overall fuel consumption than ecomodding a fuel thrify car.

Granted, it's only one car, but I think we need more focus on the less efficient cars and trucks that the general public tend to buy.

-Mike