XR-3 Diesel Plug In Hybrid
 

this is old info, but new to me

http://horsepowersports.com/images/xr3hybrid.jpg

this is Robert Q. Riley's XR-3 hybrid project, a diesel plug in hybrid you can build from plans. The XR-3 prototype is now on the road and I have to admit, I like the looks of it. It's a reverse trike configuration 3 wheeler with diesel power going to the front wheels and an electric motor for the rear wheel. The full diesel electric hybrid system can exceed 200 mpg. The 2 power systems are separate, though, which means you can build the diesel only version first and add the electric power later if you wish, keeping the cost down and still getting over 100 mpg. The 1480 pound hybrid accelerates like a normal car and tops out at 80 mph.


Construction:The prototype was built using the foam composite construction method, however, kits are in the works which will include pre-made body panels and a pre-welded frame assembly. The drive train options allow you to use various diesel engines and electric motors and you can use lead acid batteries in place of the Lithium Ion units to reduce cost. With this modular approach, the exact combination of pieces and parts gives the builder a lot of flexibility.

The canopy and front of the body can be removed to give complete engine access, the canopy has a steel tube perimeter frame for strength and there's a composite roll bar in the body and foam filled sections in the front and on the sides for impact protection.

http://horsepowersports.com/images/xr3a.jpg

Costs:Building a duplicate of the prototype might run about $25,000, a diesel only version about $10,000 but costs will vary depending on what you have available and what specific parts are chosen. No price yet on the kits.

In this period of transportation in transition where high fuel costs are causing many to rethink their vehicle options, the XR-3 shows one path that is visually appealing and technically interesting, plus it has a lot of hands on high tech appeal to the build it yourself crowd. I like it!


additional pics & video in the links

http://horsepowersports.com/xr-3-die...d-kits-coming/
http://horsepowersports.com/build-yo...lug-in-hybrid/

Thats what I want to build I just got a welder and should be buying the plans for my collage graduation but not sure how quickly it will go as I will be getting married next year and moving.

For the retros.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/...trasport_0.jpg

Some of the features of the Doran were nice too.
He missed the mark with the XR-3's aero.

His website has a section on fiberglass/foam composite that shows a very fast method. I don't understand why he went back to the block method for the XR-3 ????

The frame and battery placement in the XR-3 is fantastic. Real outside the box thinking.

With a bit more HP it would put the T-REX to shame and still get over 100MPG !

Very interesting, but why do designers always seem to go for flip-up canopies, gull-wing doors, and similar impractical ways of getting into their vehicles?

Also, I bet that if they had to live with their designs through a few weeks of a Nevada summer, there'd be a whole lot less glass area in the next version.

This thing is awesome!

Replying to an old post but...

The XR3 is only 43 inches tall. Try to fit a swing door in that space. If you can, next try to enter the vehicle without contortions.

Some of the people building the vehicle are doing stationary tops, and doors. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

Many of the aggressively aerodynamic looking vehicles end up with massive windshields. A short high angle windshield is hard to design into the car. At least its better than the blown polycarb bubbles that some vehicles use.

The design is for a niche vehicle. Its defiantly a case of... if you like it, get it. If not, then its better to look at something else. I shouldn't have a problem with the amount of glass in Wisconsin.

Michael

That's similar to cars such as the Austin-Healey Sprite, Lotus Europa & Elise, Honda Del Sol, Mazda Miata, and many other sports cars - in addition to which many of those are convertibles, so the door structure is at least a foot less than the car's height.

As for contortions, what the heck do you think yoga's for?

well for me a diesel hybrid makes no sense. u have to buy the hybrid AND the expensive diesel engine. in the near future (if not today) u will have to buy a little chemistry plant eigther, to clean the exausted stuff- and you will never match the gasoliners pollutions. the heavy engine rattles and shakes at every start up and u will need turbos and HP injection to run it. witch of course will fail sometimes.

the up side is not so much. in the sweet spot a diesel gets 180 g/kWh, the atkinson zycle engine of the prius 2003 gets 210 g/kWh, witch is almost the same. at low loads a diesel gets maybe 400 g/kWh, but the gasoliners topping 800! thats the point, where the diesel or the hybrid stuff pays out.
the little gain at the sweet spot isn´t worth the efforts.

every ship, every truck, every bus, many trains, many buildings, all they need diesel. but a barrel oil has a given percentage of diesel and gas. it´s simply wrong to use it in little cars and pollute the air right there, where people live.

dueto the taxes, diesel is in germany somewhat cheaper, than gas. but the diesel runners now have reached the zenit. the political mistake is corrected by the market. the diesel price is raising quicker as gas. but now the german manufactors have no good hybrids annd not a clue, how to make them...

One thing that's sort of neat about that set of plans is that you can actually build it as a diesel car, an electric car, OR as a hybrid!

If it makes more sense to do one over the other, go for it!

A friend of mine has these plans. He has already had the steel cut to make five chassis. The idea was that if he had to go through all the trouble to make one, it's not much more work to make a few more while at it.

I think the big discouraging part of a project like this is cutting and welding all the pieces for the chassis, so he may well have been thinking ahead by being able to sell them to other people who would want to build one of these.