800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

[Eaglefreek]

If it ever gets to market, it will probably cost $35K.

Probably more than twice that.

[blkfordsedan]

Bob Lutz was the former GM guy. Now he has VIA, which is buying GM trucks and vans and converting them to electric. They keep the same gas motor, but add 2 electric motors. Then they replace the transmission with a generator gear set. Basically, all the gas motor does is run the generator. From what I read, it has a range of 45 miles....so evidently it uses batteries. VIA claims that although the factory gas engine is way bigger than required, it only runs at 1500 rpm, so it will last forever.

[Flyin4stroke]

Its based on a chevy. Its made by Via motors.. This is what we need other manufactures stepping the bar up and trying to make a better vehicle than what they are making right now.. I have seen tons of videos of people converting these cars and hydrogen cars and everything under the sun but you cant buy it you have to build it.. Why aren't automotive manufactures putting more into there research for electric cars.. Lithium-Ion technology will start to become really useful here shortly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rVTIpS5zb4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsEfgi-JxuA

[Flw Sock]

You know that for a fact or are you just saying that as a hater?

Personally I fully enjoyed the 50 MPG I averaged from my diesel VW on a 330 mile round trip the other say. In the comfort and safety of a newer car at that. Though I almost got run off the road by a moron in a newer insight. A plug in would be awesome if I lived in a big city but 99% of my driving is on 55 MPH 2 lane highways where the diesel excels.

Fact. I know people who have them. From the information I know, and how much they sell for off the line, plus their low range just doesn't justify it for me.

By the time you save enough gas to pay for your 30k prius, the plastic pos is dead.

[FestYboy]

my big issue whit this new venture is this: it's still a flying BRICK. where is the areo mods/streamlining????

[blkfordsedan]

Its based on a chevy. Its made by Via motors..

I suppose that depends on how you look at it. VIA buys a new complete Chevy truck or van and does their electric conversion. To me, that would be like saying a "427R" was based on a Mustang and made by Roush. I'll give them credit, the design is rather interesting. The electric motors provide 100% of the propulsion...once the batteries are depleated after 40 miles, the gas engine charges the batteries and you can keep driving.

I've been intrigued by the White Zombie for several years. I've also seen the Milwaukee Tools battery powered 62 Chevy Bel Aire that ran 14.5 quarter mile times...powered by a trunk full of 28V Li Ion batteries.

[Movin]

Still standing up for the festy with diesel or any economic propulsion devise. The light weight shell is first priority for mileage in town where most cars drive. The small frontage area maybe far from the best cd or the best aerodynamic shape but it is small enough that at normal hiway speeds it is hard to find a common shell capable of conversions that requires this little energy to maintain normal high way speed.
An example is the honda insight that is okay in Cd rank but near the top when drag is factored in. In this respect I think the best mileage is possible using the festy shell. Yes there might be something better but as I pointed out above, not available in everyday wrecking yards.
Using the VW doner I would not second guess the engineering of the drivetrain, it should be used as well. I will absolutely second guess the emission system, computer and especially computer programming as these are entirely compromised by politics.

Realistically we will be seeing oils going by by and the drivetrain being sealed for life bearings and no oil filled crankcases or gearboxes, too much eco vulnerability and not efficient enough. We will see more of this exact type of drivetrain..genset , battery bank and electric everything. The actual cost without subsidy will be quite high and not competitive until quantity reaches substantial numbers. Somebody will pay the costs for this transitional period. Someday batteries and infrastructure to support the technology will both improve to the point where most vehicles will not need the genset, only batteries. Dumping that weight of the genset will bring the purchase price down further and bring with it better economy because of the substantial weight loss, most of this benefit to the in town rating. Drivetrain computers will be much simpler, all other computers on board will continue to increase in complexity, especially restraint and body computers.

Anybody want to get filthy rich? Invent the next substantial battery improvement that replaces Lithium..most likely the battery in the truck that we are discussing!!

[Lannis]

You know that for a fact or are you just saying that as a hater?

Personally I fully enjoyed the 50 MPG I averaged from my diesel VW on a 330 mile round trip the other say. In the comfort and safety of a newer car at that. Though I almost got run off the road by a moron in a newer insight. A plug in would be awesome if I lived in a big city but 99% of my driving is on 55 MPH 2 lane highways where the diesel excels.

330 miles at 50 MPG is 6.6 gallons of diesel at (say) $3.80 a gallon = $25 of fuel.

Either of my Festivas will do

330 miles at 45 MPG is 7.3 gallons of 87 octane at $3.24 a gallon = $23.75 of fuel.

Plus I have the advantage of driving a simple, light, peppy, fun-to-drive car not encumbered with a bunch of modern widgetry insulating me from the driving experience.

So all in all, the Festiva wins hands down .... !

Lannis

[Oren09]

Saw a similar truck on Jay Leno's Garage awhile back.
Interesting research and thoughts and could have use for fleets.
Unfortunately they chose the ugliest truck known to man to base it on.

[bhazard]

Re: 800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

330 miles at 50 MPG is 6.6 gallons of diesel at (say) $3.80 a gallon = $25 of fuel.

Either of my Festivas will do

330 miles at 45 MPG is 7.3 gallons of 87 octane at $3.24 a gallon = $23.75 of fuel.

Plus I have the advantage of driving a simple, light, peppy, fun-to-drive car not encumbered with a bunch of modern widgetry insulating me from the driving experience.

So all in all, the Festiva wins hands down .... !

Lannis

Lol there really is no comparison and until you've driven both (which you haven't and I have) you can't even try. By the time my car is paid off I will have been able to buy 40 festivas in decent shape...but what's the point?

By the way I've been paying 3.38 a gallon recently which is less than premium gas. That 330 mile trip cost $22.51. Its not all about fuel cost though. Its nice to work a long shift and then drive 45 minutes home with a choice of peace and quiet or a really nice clear sound system and not 120 decibels of road noise or the noise of a 20 year old economy engine. With my back being soothed by a well heated seat. Not being bounced all over the place and feeling every single road imperfection because your car barely has suspension and rolls on tires the size of dinner plates.....

I'm not hating on the festy, I'm just saying its not automatically better than any newer car. If that was true I would have gotten another instead of buying a newer car...which I tried doing and the car failed hard.

[Lannis]

Lol there really is no comparison and until you've driven both (which you haven't and I have) you can't even try. By the time my car is paid off I will have been able to buy 40 festivas in decent shape...but what's the point?

By the way I've been paying 3.38 a gallon recently which is less than premium gas. That 330 mile trip cost $22.51. Its not all about fuel cost though. Its nice to work a long shift and then drive 45 minutes home with a choice of peace and quiet or a really nice clear sound system and not 120 decibels of road noise or the noise of a 20 year old economy engine. With my back being soothed by a well heated seat. Not being bounced all over the place and feeling every single road imperfection because your car barely has suspension and rolls on tires the size of dinner plates.....

I'm not hating on the festy, I'm just saying its not automatically better than any newer car. If that was true I would have gotten another instead of buying a newer car...which I tried doing and the car failed hard.

I haven't driven a new fully equipped VW diesel? Well, that's one mistake you made. But wait; there's more!

"I'm not hating on the festy ...." No, of course not. You simply have no concept of why we love this car, and why we drive them instead of fat, overweight, overpriced, new cars. Comfort, heated seats, suspension? All relative. To a Bentley owner, you're driving a cheap, slow, loud, dangerous shytebox when you're driving that VW.

But since this isn't a VW or a Bentley forum, but is a Festiva forum ... well, you draw the conclusion.

Lannis

[bhazard]

Re: 800HP Pickuptruck to get estimated 100 mpg?

Of course I know why we love the festiva. I DD'd mine for a few years in stock form. I bought mine back in '07 when gas peaked up over $4 for the first time. It was a lifesaver. Then I turned into a turbo swapped beast and had a ton of fun for a couple years. I continued to daily drive a 12 second tin can. I even drove it 700 miles to madness 5. Eventually it became unreliable and I lost the time to keep it roadworthy. Its getting near impossible to find them in "good" shape around here.

My tdi is anything but slow and loud by the way...