Home made Hybrid

Discussion in 'Fuel Economy & Emissions' started by tbirdsps, Jul 17, 2008.

  1. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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  2. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    That dirty wabbit! :biglaugh:

    Last week or the week before? I was thinking about batteries/stored energy and wondered what other kinds of stored energy could be done.

    If you have an un-hitched horse-drawn carriage, it don't go. Put a horse or two (stored energy) and you're off! What about compressed air or a huge mainspring? Run the lights off the tires/axles like bikes used to do.

    BUT there's a little problem with all these quiet forms of transportation, especially as a pedestrian. You have no notice that some moron is coming up behind you, answering his cellphone. Other than a cowbell or whizzer on the antenna.
     
  3. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    Norm my man. Where of where have you been? Check this out.
    http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4217016.html
     
  4. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Now there's a new product! You electronic wizzards! A personal proximity alarm! Anything comes within an unsafe distance and you get a beeper telling you to look and run/turn! Bicycling, kids, or just walking in traffic areas/malls.
     
  5. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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  6. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

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    I was wondering tho. Does the engine work like a two stroke? Four stroke doesn't seem necessary. There's lots of room in/under our wagons for air tanks considering there's no exhaust or fuel necessary. I would take one heck of a compressor tho. Almost no need for oil changes either. No combustion no crap in the oil.

    Hummm. You try it first and if it works I'll change mine over.:evilsmile: I only need about 30 miles per day if I drive it everyday during the week.
     
  7. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    A two-minute fillup - that's one monster compressor or a whole bunch of roof-top windmills compressing the air in the basement.

    I was standing at the bus stop and noticed that our buses have a small driver sign at the bottom rear to remind the driver to drain the air off his brakes. Compressed air needs to be dried out and the tanks drained. Small price for cheap local travel.

    I like the mainspring idea. Did you find one of those? Kids have had them forever, how come it never flew for golfcarts or other small vehicles (handicap vehicles, etc.)

    Did you know that we have 235 golfcart accidents on golf-courses every year? Times 10 for the USA. Wow! They used to be battery-powered, but now they're I.C.E. (LPG/Gasoline).

    Where or where have I been? If I golf, I do it for the walk.
     
  8. Senri

    Senri Well-Known Member

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    Busses here use flywheels. In the past, big and made of metal, now small and made of carbon fiber with incredible high speeds (up to 100.000 rpm!). A small device that can store a lot of brake energy!!!
     
  9. wagonmaster

    wagonmaster Administrator Staff Member Moderator

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    Thats different... I thought the trailer was just a generator to power the Rabbit.
     
  10. Senri

    Senri Well-Known Member

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    It is different, you are right. But from what I understood it is not a generator. It is really pushing the rabbit. (Which in fact could be called a generator as he even uses it in the configuration to utilize the electric engine in the rabbit to charge the batteries) Tricky stuff, I imagine, to power a trailer and let that push the car. The end of the article gives it all away. He says he get's only 13-15 mpg, but he uses it on longer trips, like going to green vehicle shows. He thinks it is a bit contradictive to show a green powered vehicle that can only come to the show on a trailer. We can debate if using a trailer behind his rabbit that actually pushes the car on diesel (although bio) at 15mpg is not contradictive as well.
     

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