The Electrocharger...Any Day Now?

bigmoosie asks: "It has been over a year since the Electrocharger was discussed on Slashdot. It appears to be almost ready for production, or is it still vaporware? Does the Slashdot community think an electric motor replacing the alternator on an internal combustion engine will add 5, 10, or even 15 mpg? How well do you think the super capacitor battery pack will hold up at -20 degrees Fahrenheit? Are there any other products out there that do the same thing? I know this is not as efficient as a hybrid car made at a factory, but it can reduce the fuel consumption and emissions for cars that are 5 or even 10 years old and still on the road. Does have the potential to be an environmental friend or disaster (how long does the battery pack last)?"

Comments

No connection

[1967mustangman]

Try as I might I can't find a connection between Sigma Automotive and Texas A&M. The only other chatter I see about this on the web are on hybrid enthusiast sites..........I smell a rat.

There's some BS on the site

[photon317]

There is the remote possibility that it can have some benefits. The basic idea is vaguely sound. However, they're fond of making wildly inaccurate statements on their website, so I'd take any specific claims with a grain of salt.

My favorite FAQ is:

Q. Is the Electrocharger(TM) a performance upgrade?

A. Yes, it decreases your 0-60 time by a minimum of 3 seconds and sheds at least 3 seconds off your 1/4 mile time, over stock vehicle performance.

This is of course an outrageous statement to make without qualifications. My current vehicle does 0-60 in about 4.2 seconds. There is no way in hell that thing is going to give me a 1.2 second 0-60. Perhaps on a car that goes 0-60 much much slower, then maybe you could shave 3 seconds, but even then that sounds like an awful lot.