Re: Toyota want to sell 100% hybrids...

[farna@xxxxxxx]

I wonder why no one has mentioned the simplest hybrid? I suppose it isn't technologically advanced enough. I mean something with a total electric battery range of around 40-50 miles (easily doable with lead-acid batteris) and a small, quiet running auto start generator? The generator would come on after something like 50-60% of battery capacity was used. If you're still moving, that wouldn't help range much -- it would be a small generator. Of course the gen could be sized to provide power for normal crusiing speed, which takes far less power than starts/stops/passing/etc. So range could be extended dramatically for longer trips -- as long as you kept moving. The generator could even be setup to run when the car was parked and unattended. Drive to work, deplete batts until gen comes on, go to work with gen still running, come out to a full battery pack! So how does that reduce fuel usage? A small gen (could even be diesel) runs much more efficiently due to size of engine, lo!
 wer load, and it's running at its most efficient (and constant) speed. Should be as efficient as the newer hybrids. Of course there could be an over ride or "kill" switch to prevent the generator from running when desired. Flip the switch back on and the gen circuits recheck battery and starts gen if necessary. As long as there is 40% or so of battery power the car should take off fine -- then gen will keep it cruising. 

What's this got to do with AMC? This would be the easiest way to convert an AMC to hybrid power. Basically you've got two circuits -- one a full electric conversion with a short range (could be as little as 30-40 miles, which would be sufficient for many commuters), and the other a battery monitor/recharge circuit. Regenerative braking could even be thrown into the full electric side. The only added electronics needed would be basically diodes to keep the generator from back feeding the propulsion/regenerative systems and vice versa. Plug in at night or at work to make the thing even more efficient. The auto gen would mean you'd still get charged up even if you can't plug in. Should let something like a Hornet get 50 mpg (or more) easily, and not take any more room than enough batteries for a 100 or mile range full electric. Oh, by 30-40 mile range, I mean for normal driving, not diminished performance or maximum range. That would be 20-30 miles more than I stated above. The!
  only problem I've seen with doing this using off the shelf parts is finding a small, quiet, electric start generator. All I've seen the right size are manual start. Passenger: "What's that T handle in the middle of the dash?" Driver: "Well, see that gauge? When it falls down to 40% I give that handle a quick jerk and the gauge won't fall as long as we're still moving. Burns a little gas though. If we get stuck in slow traffic for long, or at long lights, the gauge may even come up a bit. I can leave it running when I get out too, it will shut off by itself when the gauge is up to 100%." Passenger: "Cool!"  Actually, that would work... ;>

On September 14, 2005 Tom Jennings wrote:

> FRANKFURT, Sept. 13 (Bloomberg News) - The Toyota Motor
> Corporation said this week that all its vehicles would eventually
> be run by hybrid gasoline-electric motors, as record fuel prices
> curb demand for conventional automobiles.
> 
> "In the future, the cars you see from Toyota will be 100 percent
> hybrid," Kazuo Okamoto, executive vice president, told reporters
> in Frankfurt Monday, without giving a specific timetable.
> 


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