DIY Hybrid Electric Car: Using an AC Generator Head with a Small Electric Motor

by Jason G.
(Pax, WV)

Well, this is more a suggestion, rather than a question, on how to build your own hybrid electric car.

The average 4cyl car motor weighs about 700 lbs, give or take a few pounds. Why not use a AC generator head and use a smaller electric motor to push that generator head to power your ev drive motor?

See, the mid size and larger trucks require you to at least have 200 fpt to efficiently push the larger vehicle down the road at average load. Now I also live in the mountains, so I've thought about this conversion for months. and I've built a house generator with the same technology provided. used a 20kwt generator head and a 2hp 3 phase ac motor that only requires 2200 watts to run @ max load. I used basic geometry to calculate the gearing needed(or pully system)so I can get the generator to run @ 3/4 power while the drive motor to only run as 540rpms. you'll never reach max load on the supply motor, but it is always safe to buy something of that magnitude so in case you need it, it's there. The system generates power for the house, and some power back feed into the drive motor to turn the generator head...essentially it powers itself in the long run. it's the same setup only you're going to use a 30kw generator head, and a 3hp industrial AC 3 phase motor to power the generator head.

The drive motor that you'll use shouldn't be no more than the max output of the generator head. A good calculation I use makes the generator head work efficiently with your current setup, basically eliminating the batteries, except two (which turn on the small 3 phase motor to start your EV up), the calculation i used for my house usit to power my garage stuff (including 240amp welder) was.. take your max load of the motor (wattage to run @ max load), or power source you plan on powering...times max load (wattage)by 3, then divide the total number by two. this will give you what you need to run the motor @ 3/4 power range, and won't overload your drive motor. See you're gas guzzler motor (like a v8) weighs about 950 pounds dry. and the ev motor + the generator head & supply motor only weighs about 80 pounds less, you'll eliminate alot of weight by taking alot of the weight from the batteries off.

You'll be able to drive further, since your system is producing the power on demand, rather than relying on batteries to get you places. Another thing is that the hills or mountains, you'll use much more power from your batteries to push you up those hills, dampening your mileage greatly. And with this system, you'll have that power to tap whenever you need it. rather than watching your power gauge drop like you're driving a dragster on the back roads going from 180 to stop, and again...until you run out of power all together.

I've also built a few EV's including golf carts, and off road dune buggies. This idea isn't mine though, it was patented nearly 23 years ago, and I happened to stumble on it while searching for alternatives to gas powered trucks.

So, I'm not going to claim this idea, though from the original setup I changed the ratio of the pulleys, rather than using a motor to motor straight shaft. Allowing me to run supply motor at 1/4 power, and generator head @ 3/4 power. using pulleys already provided for us (thank you automotive industry) LOL

If you got anymore questions, feel free to ask..btw..only thing you're doing is replacing the batteries with a generator head...so you keep the same controllers and electrical system used on the prior conversion from gas to electric. An rather than having limited mileage, the power is on demand, enabling you to go much further.

And I will agree on using an AC motor over a DC motor, with this setup...there really isn't any need for inverters, since the generator head supplies AC power already.

Hi, Jason!

Sounds like something that needs to be built and tested. If it works, it works! Keep us posted, okay?

Regards,
Lynne