Have any of you built your own Hybrid?

Question

Or another version of an extremely fuel efficient vehicle? If so, is something you care to share? I know that I am going to be looking into myself... I am tired of my pocket book and my environment paying for it by "Big Oil".

Answer 1

I'm a business student, not an engineer.  However, there will be a couple of clever engineers at the 2007 Austin Clean Energy Venture Summit tomorrow.  One of them is from CalCars and he brought his 100+ mpg Prius for us to try out.  I wouldn't build one, but I might buy one:

http://www.calcars.org/

If I do really well, I'll pick up one of these:

http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_...

Then I can leave all those gas chugging Porches in the dust.  Gasoline is sooooo 20th century.

Answer 2

Building a Hybrid would be difficult. Having to connect two types of drive systems would be the hardest part. There are several companies that make conversions of gasoline powered to electrically powered. (Don't forget other fuels like natural gas, propane, and alcohol) I believe there is one company in Carson, CA that makes an all electric conversion of an S-10 pick up. Google "battery powered cars" an see what comes up.

P.S. Don't forget Bio-Diesel. The Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power uses some Biodiesel, but not enough to make a difference

Answer 3

It's pretty straightforward to build a PHEV, a plug-in series hybrid like the upcoming Chevy Volt.

Step 1: Convert an automobile to an electric car.  Thousands of homebrewers do that, and there's an active community and ample sources of parts.

Step 2: Add a small engine to generate electricity to recharge the batteries.  A few EV builders make it "tow-behind" on a trailer, but whatever works.

Most of the time you just plug it in at home, and "fuel" it for about 50 cents a "gallon".   On a longer trip, you light off the APU to keep the batteries up.  Voila.  Electric car, unlimited range.

One mailing list: http://www.madkatz.com/ev/evlist.html

Answer 4

no

Answer 5

Try a bicycle