E-Trailer (I.C.E.) Pusher

Starting on another Project....... It's going to be an Electric Powered Assist Trailer that connects to an I.C.E. Vehicle to make it into a Hybrid.

Will start on the motor mount and coupler. Then the battery box, housing for the controller, lights.

When in operation, it will be used once the vehicle is moving, and then turned on. The throttle will be adjusted manually for now, to just the point you feel it helping to push the car. I would love to figure out a way to have the output of the OBDII port of the I.C.E. vehicle drive the unit completely.

Update:

I finished with a temporary umbilical cord remote for controlling the E-Trailer from within the vehicle being pushed/assisted today.

I took it out for a quick run, on varied terrain, and the Scanguage II's MPG reading varied from 40mpg to 90mpg once the E-Trailer was dialed up with the car's speed set at 50mph and on cruise control. Now that it proves to me that it might just work, I'll start cleaning up the final build of the trailer with fenders, etc.

09/07/2008 Update:

Finally, Getting closer and closer to full operational status. The kids rebuilt the motor to differential coupler that I broke after a couple of runs. I installed a forced air blower for the electric motor. It looks like with the current setup I'm only able to get usable EV Push for the PTCruiser up to a maximum of around 50mph. Currently I have the controller operating both the Field and Armature windings similiar to a shunt motor. I think I'm going to need to break off the Field winding to a separate consistent 24volt power pack to obtain speed/torque needs for higher MPH, just as I did for the Electric Eclipse. I'm not giving up, because this thing is actually working. At 45mph, I can really feel the E-Trailer push the PTCruiser as I dial up it's power output. In the words of Captain Kirk of StarTrek, " I need more Power", "Scotty, I'm given it all she's got"

29 photos | 3,309 views

items are from between 01 Jan 2000 & 09 Aug 2008.