# Range Extender....



## Vanquizor (Nov 17, 2009)

The toughest part of the whole thing will be getting a functional hitch on the vehicle who's chassis ends well ahead of the rear tire.

It'd be dead simple to throw a real axle under something like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200467368_200467368

Weld an a-frame to the front and figure out what it takes to keep your charger happy while driving and you are off to the races.


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## miscrms (Sep 25, 2013)

I've always thought retired Priuses would make good range extender candidates. Would take a little hacking, but should be cheaper, cleaner and more efficient than any traditional generator.


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## storx (Nov 24, 2013)

Vanquizor said:


> The toughest part of the whole thing will be getting a functional hitch on the vehicle who's chassis ends well ahead of the rear tire.
> 
> It'd be dead simple to throw a real axle under something like this:
> 
> ...


It cant be that hard to run it off the swing arm some how, so many motorcycles tow these days, some the hitch rides off the ends of the rear axle with its own bearings...


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## storx (Nov 24, 2013)

miscrms said:


> I've always thought retired Priuses would make good range extender candidates. Would take a little hacking, but should be cheaper, cleaner and more efficient than any traditional generator.


huh, the car?


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## WolfTronix (Feb 8, 2016)

I looked into this a few years ago for my truck...

It is actually more efficient to have a push trailer...

Push trailer would have a 20hp engine (sized to maintain highway speed), single speed drive to the wheels and a electric clutch.

Get up to highway speed under electric power.
Then engage the clutch to start the engine (or start it conventionally). 
Use electric power to go up the hills and regenerative breaking to regulate speed.

[Engine] --> [belt] --> [wheels]
vs.
[Engine] --> [Generator] --> [Battery] --> [Controller] --> [Motor]

However, the latter is better if you want to stop some where for a long lunch and "charge" in the parking lot.


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## miscrms (Sep 25, 2013)

storx said:


> huh, the car?


Yup, same idea as the VW one above, but using the front end from a Prius. The motor is exceptionally efficient and clean running, and already has a built in generator, buffer battery, and stop/start control. All you'd really need is an inverter / or dc:dc converter to run your charger. It would be powered off the Prius HV battery (or even the 12V if the power requirement is low enough), until that hits its threshold SOC and triggers the engine to start and recharge.

Basically a trailer version of these sort of setups:
http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/priups.html
http://priusgen.sandbox.org/
http://www.priups.com/riddle/answer-1.htm

I suppose in theory if your EV pack was well enough matched to the Prius HV range you could run direct DC from the Prius to the EV. Or if you have a 240V charger that can be run off DC in, that might also work direct off the Prius HV.

You could also do manual control of the Prius generator with a fairly simple SOC spoofing board.


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