Question(s)
(1) - Comparing a 3,250lbs and 5,500lbs (1,250lbs difference) vehicles. How much extra Wh/km (or Wh/mile) would there be between the two vehicles? (In city driving)
(2) - What affordable electric motors + controllers should I be looking for?
(3) - Using AC instead of DC a valid option to look at?
The lowdown of my idea.
Buying a Jeep Cherokee or Chevy/GMC Tahoe/Yukon - Leaving the i.c.e. intact to be able to drive on gas when I wish, and adding an additional electric motor somewhere in the drivetrain to help with MPG.
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The Long Story - The Ideas!
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I do not know if the term MILD HYBRID is correct or not, not much on Youtube and I really can't find much overall on the web.
My general idea was to keep the i.c.e. drivetrain intact and figure out a way to complement the driving force with electric. My original thought was to have a machinist make a differential yoke with a gear on it, that the drive shaft connects to on the axle. Then have some heavy duty chain from yoke to an electric motor. I have had that idea for a year or two now. The problem I foresee here is the movement of the axle going over bumps, so the electric motor would have to be mounted on the top of the axle pumpkin and the floor of the cab modified if it needs extra room.
Upon further looking into my generalized idea, I see some setups have an electric motor attached to the output of the transmission on one side, the other side would connect to the drive shaft in some way. So a shorter drive shaft would be in order, securing the electric motor and figuring out a way to connect the shaft of the electric motor to the output of the transmission or transfercase, and the drive shaft.
I wanted to do it on a Jeep Cherokee Inline 6 which gets 16city 19highway MPG. There is the Sidekick/Tracker which is great on gas, 20 and 24, but is too small and parts arent widely available, even the 4 door models are cramped spacewise.. Fullsize SUV Sub/Yukon/Tahoe gets 12 and 15mpg.
Weight is like like 2750lbs and 3350lbs for the Jeep. Then once I step into the full size arena, Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban we are talking 4500lbs 2 door, and 5500lbs 4 door. So there is a dramatic weight jump.
Now, I think I can come up with a solution here.
I do like the Jeep Cherokee's over the Sidekick/Tracker, for the simple reason that parts availability for the Jeeps are everywhere, same too with the Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban. For a daily driver the gas guzzling of full size I think would be too much, but the offroad ability would be amazing! And the other major downside is the weight of the vehicle. 5500lbs vs 3250lbs.
I want the best of both worlds.
4 door Jeep Cherokee 3350lbs - Inline 6
4 door Chev/GM Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban 5500lbs - V8
Me being well over 6' tall, I keep gravitating towards the full size, because I can fold the back seats flat, push the front seats forward and can sleep in the back stretched out when I am in the bush.
The Jeep Cherokee on the other hand I have owned, and tried sleeping in the back and it doesnt work, I have to bend my legs. I could fabricate up a new rear door that would give me an extra bit of space.
But thats where it stands.
