A Hybrid Car With Detachable Engine Proposed

thecarchik writes "The SCI hyMod five-door minicar concept is the brainchild of a Romanian team made up of an engineer, a designer, and an automotive journalist. It uses what its designers call a 'dedicated logistics center' for the transformation from electric to gas-powered, in which the back end of the car containing a battery pack is removed, and replaced with one containing a gasoline engine module that drives the rear wheels. In normal urban use, the battery pack powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels. The hyMod combines elements of range-extended electric cars like the Fisker Karma and the Volt, plus a tiny, compact range extender, and perhaps even the Better Place automated battery-pack swap station."

Comments

What is the matter with car companies

[bobstreo]

I just want a vehicle that runs electric and if I'm running low on amps has a small generator to drive it and recharge the batteries.

Re:What is the matter with car companies

[fiannaFailMan]

I was just wondering how long it would take to hear from the "this isn't exactly what I want therefore I don't see why it would be of use to anyone" brigade.

I would have thought the applications for this were obvious. Someone with a short commute during the week sticks to electric. For the road trip to the mountains at the weekend he swaps in the petrol engine.

Not rocket science.

Re:What is the matter with car companies

[ThatsMyNick]

On an average, Americans drive about 25 miles each way. So for the vast majority of Americans this should work. And yeah, if the vehicle does not suit you, the only thing it can be is junk, right?

Re:What is the matter with car companies

[mijxyphoid]

I was just wondering how long it would take to hear from the "this isn't exactly what I want therefore I don't see why it would be of use to anyone" brigade.

I would have thought the applications for this were obvious. Someone with a short commute during the week sticks to electric. For the road trip to the mountains at the weekend he swaps in the petrol engine.

Not rocket science.

Its hard to get owners to check basic maintenance requirements such as fluid levels, tyre pressures, and warning lights on instrument clusters.

To get an owner to swap an engine out is a HUGE leap from that.
Even if the process was made as simple, and painless as possible, there are a lot of car owners that wont even take a car for routine maintenance until the car fails, and requires costly repairs.

Taking a car to a garage for even minor work can be painful exercise in terms of taking time of work, having no transport whilst the car is off the road, costs involved, and the anxiety that the mechanic could be a complete idiot, and screw something up, or damage the car.

Unfortunately, I cannot see this ever becoming mainstream, even though the idea is very very sound.

Re:What is the matter with car companies

[Anonymous Coward]

I have another can of False Equivalency for you, if you need to charge up.

Re:What is the matter with car companies

[FatLittleMonkey]

Why a diesel? If you decouple the power source (as opposed to power storage) from the wheels, you don't need torque/rpm flexibility and can switch to an efficient constant RPM engine.

...Like a diesel generator? 50% thermal efficiency instead of petrol/gasoline's 30%. And longer engine lifespan as a bonus.

Lots of hybrid watchers have been asking for diesel-electric plug-in hybrids since the Prius became chic.

(Apparently part of the problem is the US doesn't have proper national standards for diesel quality.)

Way too complex

[Animats]

That's too complex mechanically. And you have to decide, before you go out, how far you're going.

The Chevy Volt seems to be the right idea in hybrids. It's mostly electric, and solves the "range anxiety" problem. It just costs too much.