Weird thing is I happen to have a diesel rabbit engine and suspension laying around. (as well as a geo metro xfi motor and trans)
I do want to build the hybrid though, the idea of an "electric hotrod" that also happens to get 200 mpg is intriguing. (I come to that figure by calculating the 10hp diesels claimed fuel consumption of 3 hours to the gallon and factoring the 80 to 100 miles the electric drive train will bring and applying a lot of hoping) I can almost guarantee that in practice the diesel will burn more then claimed, but on a "tank" for a normal car,say 400 miles, I beleive it would be an impressive number.
I am also drawn to a low slung car, I just cant seem to make the terms "front wheel drive" and "truly low slung" work together in the hand that wields the design pen, plus the overall weight with that vw diesel will be really high, I beleive the motor / trans alone is like 450.
Ok, quick unrelated story... I fly untralights (those "flying lawnchairs") and in that sport, we refer to anything heavier then a piper cub as a "heavy" like most pilots refer to 747's lol.
The motor and batteries, expensive I know. so were on the same page, here are the costs / weights.. ac-31 drive motor and inverter 3900, 90ah of lithium polymer batteries (about 80 to 100mi of range) for a 96v system about $3300 plus wires should be about 300 pounds for everything. the diesel motor will add about 100 lbs
with all that low end torque, over 100 ft pounds, as long as the car is light, under 850 empty, it should be impressive off the line.
Cheapracer, I hear ya on the v-dub beam, I am one of those guys that said "hey, its 70 year old tech, how good can it be" then after a conversation with Chuck Beck last year, he excused himself and went in his 550 spyder recreation and trounced an "evo" on the road course at Carlisle.
And Ive been looking hard at the weight of the vw beam with disc brakes (110 lbs including steering box and tie rods but not wheels and tires) not too bad and its like 95% tweaked right out of the box)
So vw beam (in aluminum) it is.
I can carry the batteries low in 2 "rows" 1 just ahead of the beam and one under legs just past the steering tie rods
Ok Tandem seating, lots of mixed feelings there, my first attempt (at tshtrikes.com under "diesel hybrid" ) had tandem seating, and it got long, and heavy, plus there is the problem of my principal investor (wife) wanting to have a conversation with me when driving
I have a sneaking suspicion that side by side will do better in the plans / roller marketplace as well if this thing does what I want it to do.
Using the electrics primarily for acceleration, and diesel for cruising, I totally agree
The measurements I am coming up with early in the process are 85" wheelbase, overall width at outsides of front tires 55", width at shoulders of cabin 44" overall height of main body 38" height at rear "wing" (roll hoop, that houses a wing that also doubles as a brake light / directional / liscence plate mount) 45" Overall length 120"
If only I was a 3d modeling kind of guy, I would post a drawing, but alas, my design is limited to paper and pencil, Id love to post a drawing.
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