Converting a regular car into mild hybrid

bredekamp · 03-08-2008, 03:52 PM

Has anyone ever considered what would be involved in converting a regular car into a mild hybrid? How much load does the alternator place on the engine? What would happen if you place a battery in the boot that charges from the grid and use that to power all the car's electrics? The existing alternator can have a clutch that engages only when the main battery is low or if the car is coasting or idling. What if you use a proper motor instead of a starter motor to assist the engine ie help turn the engine?

kenmce · 03-08-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bredekamp

What would happen if you place a battery in the boot that charges from the grid and use that to power all the car's electrics?

Not much. The main use of energy is moving the car. Note that the Prius has a little lead acid battery that runs the electrics fine when the ICE is off, but the traction battery is the size of a coffee table.

qbee42 · 03-08-2008, 05:19 PM

The standard alternator and starter are not at all up to the job for a mild hybrid system. You need a much bigger electric motor which is capable of continuous operation. That motor then becomes the alternator (or generator) for charging the HV battery and regenerative braking. It would take quite a bit of space to bolt everything together if it were made from pieces and parts. After that you have to design and program the control system. It would be a fun hobby project or engineering school project, but it's not at all practical.

Tom

bredekamp · 03-08-2008, 06:08 PM

Yeah, it would be the kind of project one throws at a group of engineering students. It just so happens I work at a University....hmmmm (rubs hands together while grinning)

**Tideland Prius** · 03-08-2008, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bredekamp

Yeah, it would be the kind of project one throws at a group of engineering students. It just so happens I work at a University....hmmmm (rubs hands together while grinning)

How 'bout a start/stop feature first? Would that be easier?

Godiva · 03-08-2008, 10:01 PM

I should think it would be easier to convert it to pure EV than try to make your own hybrid.

donee · 03-09-2008, 09:43 AM

Hi All,

Probably the easiest way to convert a standard car into a mild hybrid is the thing GM did - BAS (Belt Alternator System ?) . You trash the alternator and starter, and replace it with a big motor that drives the engine's cranskshaft with some of the racer pulleys they typically use for super chargers.

They you need a small coputer to know when to use the motor as a starter or a generator as well as an inverter/rectifier set.

To get all the 12 V stuff working, you find a very large 12 V switching power supply that will run off your battery voltage. Which is quite easy if your batteries are more than 100 V's.

bredekamp · 03-09-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donee

Hi All,

Probably the easiest way to convert a standard car into a mild hybrid is the thing GM did - BAS (Belt Alternator System ?) . You trash the alternator and starter, and replace it with a big motor that drives the engine's cranskshaft with some of the racer pulleys they typically use for super chargers.

They you need a small coputer to know when to use the motor as a starter or a generator as well as an inverter/rectifier set.

To get all the 12 V stuff working, you find a very large 12 V switching power supply that will run off your battery voltage. Which is quite easy if your batteries are more than 100 V's.

That's exactly what I had in mind

03-08-2008, 03:52 PM	#1
bredekamp Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Somerset West, South Africa Posts: 345 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Converting a regular car into mild hybrid Has anyone ever considered what would be involved in converting a regular car into a mild hybrid? How much load does the alternator place on the engine? What would happen if you place a battery in the boot that charges from the grid and use that to power all the car's electrics? The existing alternator can have a clutch that engages only when the main battery is low or if the car is coasting or idling. What if you use a proper motor instead of a starter motor to assist the engine ie help turn the engine?

03-08-2008, 05:19 PM	#3
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 5,701 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	Re: Converting a regular car into mild hybrid The standard alternator and starter are not at all up to the job for a mild hybrid system. You need a much bigger electric motor which is capable of continuous operation. That motor then becomes the alternator (or generator) for charging the HV battery and regenerative braking. It would take quite a bit of space to bolt everything together if it were made from pieces and parts. After that you have to design and program the control system. It would be a fun hobby project or engineering school project, but it's not at all practical. Tom

03-08-2008, 06:08 PM	#4
bredekamp Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Somerset West, South Africa Posts: 345 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Converting a regular car into mild hybrid Yeah, it would be the kind of project one throws at a group of engineering students. It just so happens I work at a University....hmmmm (rubs hands together while grinning)

03-08-2008, 10:01 PM	#6
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 10,026 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 3 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	Re: Converting a regular car into mild hybrid I should think it would be easier to convert it to pure EV than try to make your own hybrid.

03-09-2008, 09:43 AM	#7
donee Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,541 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Converting a regular car into mild hybrid Hi All, Probably the easiest way to convert a standard car into a mild hybrid is the thing GM did - BAS (Belt Alternator System ?) . You trash the alternator and starter, and replace it with a big motor that drives the engine's cranskshaft with some of the racer pulleys they typically use for super chargers. They you need a small coputer to know when to use the motor as a starter or a generator as well as an inverter/rectifier set. To get all the 12 V stuff working, you find a very large 12 V switching power supply that will run off your battery voltage. Which is quite easy if your batteries are more than 100 V's.