my hybrid idea

[jim rockford]

i purchased a 95 dodge dakota pickup with the intent of converting it to a hybrid. Here's my idea.. i it is a 2wd truck and i wnt to get a transfer cse out of a 4wd truck. install it behind the transmission where it usually goes. install a electric drive motor to the output of the transfer case, where the driveshaft usually connects it to the front axle. install a battery bank but not a ton of batteries just about 1/3 of whats usually used in a full electric conversion. i will then be able to run the truck on full gas engine or by engaging the transfer case and putting the transmission in neutral i can run on electric, though the engine will still have to run to power the power steering and ac, it will also be able to charge the batteries allowing for a longer range. i know this isn't the best solution but it should give me great mileage as the engine will be at a constant idle speed of 800 with no load on it. i welcome any coments good and bad.

[aerohead]

In spirit,I don't see anything wrong with the plan.I'm not a powertrain guy,and am unsure about delivering power "backwards" through the output shaft.Perhaps it doesn't matter to the gear sets.Don't know.I would be reluctant to expect the alternator to keep up with the power load,as it would be measured in the tens of horsepower.At full current,your alternator would be good for about 1.5-horsepower gross output.At a battery charging efficiency of 80%,the batteries could receive about 1.22-horsepower,and when the electric motor delivered the power to the transfer case,power would be down to about 1.15- HP,after mechanical losses within the transfer case,you could deliver about 1.1-HP to the driveshaft,and after the rear differential,about 1.04-HP could be layed down on the road.I think that at 800-rpm,the alternator could probably do full current,at full field exitation,so that's not a problem.If the alt.is not 100% duty-cycle rated,it could melt down though.If voltage has to be stepped up for a high voltage battery pack,there would be additional losses,and the truck would still require at least one dedicated 12-V battery.If you could home charge,with off-peak electricity,that would give you a hot pack,without relying on the engine-driven generator,although no on-road charging.Many challenges.On paper,the onboard re-charging capability seems to be the deciding factor as for how much electric potential can be harvested from the Dakota's electrics.Remember too,that while in neutral,while there is no "mechanical" road load on the engine,it will still have to produce an equivalent amount of power in the form of electricity,a task it was not originally designed and optimized for.A dedicated gen-set,designed for efficient electric generation might outdo the Dakota's engine for this task.It becomes some sort of Rube Goldberg device at some point,as you pile on device after device.

[jim rockford]

i was thinking more along the line of a larger alternator and electric motor. something along the 96v if possable. the alternator would never be able to keep up with the motors supply needs , just help in keeping the batteries drain too fast. if they start running out then i could always disconnect the electric motor and place the transmission back in drive. this would charge the batteries fully. i don't know if this would really work out but it would allow a longer driving range than with a battery only power source.

[iHero]

Elitist hybrideers will balk at the idea.

But I think it is a great plan -- a bit lossy -- but inexpensive and achievable and will save you some money, especially if you are a short range driver. Hopefully an affordable fuel cell pack will be available in a couple years and you can plug it in and be all set.

[Red]

Id find some kind of sprocket or something that I could bolt to the rear pinion and then mount the motor to the axle instead of going to all the trouble of swapping in a t-case.

Plus unless you have V8 running gear, once you replace the tail housing the Chrysler t-cases that will bolt up to your truck are chain driven. By hooking up your motor to the front output of the case you'd have to deal with the extra loss of putting power through the chain, plus you'd have to be in 4WD all the time for it to work.

What rear end do you have? The 8.25 or the 7.25?