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Turning my car into a hybrid.; Big undertaking
Topic Started: Aug 28 2010, 04:55 PM (1,962 Views)
MetroMatt


I love getting Upper 40's lower 50 mpg. But that's not good enough for me. I want to start preparing to turn my Metro into a hybrid I would like to be able to get a combined 80 mpg minimum. What I want to try and do is install and lithium ion cells in the spare tire area of the trunk, more space may be needed. I'm inspired to do this because one, its been done before, and two who doesn't love a good project? It will take me sometime to save the money to be able to by all the components I will need. In the mean time I am going to start planning my approach and try to get in contact with John (owner of the White Zombie) I lived next to Portland so and I used to race at the same track as him and I've met him before. So I think he can help me get going in the right direction.

My biggest concern is definitely how to incorporate the battery and the drive train, how to make the batteries quit when I use the brakes. This is new territory for me so I have a lot to learn. Anyone have any experience with this sort of work? Thanks guys... and gals!

http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php
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iamgeo
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Big League

Ask mjspiess Click here to see his profile
He built a real fancy hybrid.
Check out the list of the changes he made.
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Coche Blanco
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Troll Certified

I will never never never suggest making a Hybrid out of a Geo. We, the average consumer, do not have enough skill/money to make a reliable, effective hybrid powertrain. I like to say "Pick one or the other, and optimize it." (when referring to gas/electric car)


But I always like to be proved wrong, good luck.
Edited by Coche Blanco, Aug 28 2010, 06:07 PM.
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JellyBeanDriver


What is the cost on the Li ion cells you're going to use?
LiFePO4 ?
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nerys
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Grr

actually we can make very effective hybrids. We just can not easily make "automatic" hybrids. What we will need to make is MANUAL hybrids. IE the computer C&C system in our hybrids will be your piece of gray matter and your hands.

The biggest issue we have is the battery pack. This is the same issue WE ALL have (thank you so much GM you filthy scum)

the other trick is getting power to the road. I see 2 methods of doing this. At Geop2010 the guy with the blue convertible with the electric motor. If he solves that problem in a way that anyone can do that is one way to go.

The other way is a "5th wheel" either dropping down from the trunk (spare tire) area or as a trailer. The trailer idea intrigues me because its something where you can put nearly 100% of the "additional" components on the trailer batteries motor everything. In theory this is something you can attach to ANY car to "hybridize" it as long as it has a hitch.

2 issues. #1 strong hitch mount. #2 trailer stability.

For testing purposes Leads will do. For ACTUAL serious longevity and stamina we need NIMH or very costly Lithium chemistry cells.

While you can NOT buy the proper NIMH cells (again thanks GM scum) we might be able to MAKE an LMC Array like Tesla did. IE lots of small cells in a large array.

the trick will be managing the charge discharge cycling without having to rip apart the pack and do it manually every night.
Edited by nerys, Aug 28 2010, 09:51 PM.
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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Try Panasonic, Plenty of nimh there.
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Cobb
BANNED

I think the pusher trailer is a better idea, prehaps a front clip from another geo? There is a owner of an insight who has a 5th wheel that comes down from the backand he uses it for speeds up to 35mph off of some batteries inside the car and uses the spare tire as a air reserve to raise and lower it.

In my limited experience it seems battery management is the biggest issue. The cells are hooked in series and if one goes bad, reverses polarity, etc your performance is ruined. You may need to buy 3 times what you want unless they will match cells for you.
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MetroMatt


Blanco I'm going to have to disagree, I've taken one year of power utilities technology, and I'm enrolled in a two year Renewable Energy Technology program, right now I might not have the experience but I plan on learning as I go. I have a friend in school who is extremely intelligent with electronic and I think he'll know how to help. I don't know the cost I'm trying to figure that out, but the project is so uncommon that it's hard to find prices that line up with what I want to do.
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beachbummm
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i think the weight of the batterys would kill the milage and with th frame problems geo's have I would not try it...now a hybrid pinto surf wagon would be the way to go
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nerys
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Grr

but no LARGE FORMAT traction pack nimhs. you would have to do what tesla did with their lith pack. use a bunch of individual small scale cells and all the charging discharge balancing problems that this entails.

The only time the mass would hurt is if you accelerate the car without using the electric motor. once your at "cruise" speed the extra mass has almost zero impact on your FE (inertia)
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