Hybrid car - 4 engines?

Question

Studebaker around 1956 built a boat shaped sedan.

They couldn't decide until late in development if they wanted to mount the engine in front or back.

What if a hybrid sedan had an engine in both places? Or a plug-in electric?

Then it would have blistering acceleration.

I'm thinking of something like a Lincoln Towncar.

I think BMW's traction control looks like a valuable component. That way the engines can produce maximum power without spinning the tires.

Good idea?

Answer 1

Why would you even bother to put one or more engines in a car.  An electric motor has more torque and therefore acceleration with less weight.  I think you still have a lot to learn about automotive technology.  Here are a couple of links to get you started.

Personally my concept of the future car is combining the skateboard platform with removable human-powered, electric assisted velomobiles for city use.  The ultimate multiuser commuter platform.  And it will blow the doors off your concept.  Look at the Ariel Atom.  Size doesn't matter, horsepower to weight ratio does.

Answer 2

I think that you would be adding way too much weight and killing your efficiency.

Answer 3

It's rather unnecessary for a car to have 4 engines.  It could just as well have a 2 bigger engines in front if the engineers so desired.

Answer 4

When considering the power to weight aspects of an electric vehicle you also have to include the power source and controllers in the equation.  Batteries weigh a lot so even though electric motors actually have better power/weight ratios than ICE's the reality is that in order to operate in the real world the need for power to drive more motors will increase the weight of the vehicle ahead of the benefits for those motors and make the problems outweigh the advantages.

That said there are some advantages for using four *hub motors* in this application however they are not particularly as useful in a large heavier vehicles as much as a light one because of the problems of what is called *unsprung weight.*

Unsprung weight is exactly what it sounds like.  The motor is literally in the wheel but that is after the suspension so the operating load on the bearings increases almost exponentially as the weight of the vehicle and power of the motors increases and this forces a dramatic increase  in design specification for these motors that passes the point of diminishing returns.

The advantages of a four wheel (or better yet a three wheel) *all wheel drive* system is in handling performance and balance but this is more valid for a smaller lighter and highly efficient vehicle than a large one.

There are more than a few systems out there already working on this idea.  

Zap X

http://www.slashgear.com/zap-x-suv-is-64...

The Spark EV?

http://www.spark-ev.com/comet.html

Wavecrest

http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?story...

Electric racers

http://www.dragtimes.com/featured-electr...

Hymotion PHEV

http://www.hymotion.com/products.htm

Hub Motors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:A-Hraf...

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5996/

http://www.greenspeed.us/wavecrest_elect...

Have you seen the Tesla?

http://www.teslamotors.com/performance/a...

It is not a hub motor but it is incredible.