Conversion of ICE powered multi-cabs to HYBRID, is it possible?

[zel.chikot]

Is it possible to convert multi cabs (katulad ng mga orange cabs na byaheng moa) to hybrids? By installing electric motor and battery packs on it? Or is it better to just convert it to an electric powered one? Thanks in advance! Please help! Can someone enlighten me if this is feasible?

[ghosthunter]

Is it possible to convert multi cabs (katulad ng mga orange cabs na byaheng moa) to hybrids? By installing electric motor and battery packs on it? Or is it better to just convert it to an electric powered one? Thanks in advance! Please help! Can someone enlighten me if this is feasible?

Here is the thing. Anything is possible if you throw enough money at it.

The challenge is to achieve the target/goal and still be economically viable.

But honestly, if you are going to throw good money at converting multicabs to hybrids, it would be better to start with a blank slate and make a public utility vehicle that is more spacious and comfortable to sit inside of, not a sardine can sitting arrangement as seen in the multicabs today.

OR, just to achieve the low emissions targets, simply convert the multicabs to Auto-LPG. Emissions targets achieved with a minor investment on existing hardware instead of re-engineering a whole system.

[zel.chikot]

Here is the thing. Anything is possible if you throw enough money at it.

The challenge is to achieve the target/goal and still be economically viable.

But honestly, if you are going to throw good money at converting multicabs to hybrids, it would be better to start with a blank slate and make a public utility vehicle that is more spacious and comfortable to sit inside of, not a sardine can sitting arrangement as seen in the multicabs today.

OR, just to achieve the low emissions targets, simply convert the multicabs to Auto-LPG. Emissions targets achieved with a minor investment on existing hardware instead of re-engineering a whole system.

Kasi sir there is an electric powered ambulance sa ust and we want to restore it as our thesis proposal. Sa pagkakaalam ko galing to sa multi cab and converted it to electric powered. I'm not sure pa pero sa tingin ko inalis lang yun engine nito e. Siguro tomorrow or next week i'll check it and its condition and kung talagang inalis lang yun engine nya. Kung ganon nga, we are planning to install the old engine or another engine that fits on it and at the same time, install new battery packs and electric motor on it. Siguro we can shell out a maximum of 100k for this project if this will be approved. What's your thoghts about this sir GH? Thanks for the reply sir GH!

[zel.chikot]

Sa tingin ko magiging mahirap tong project na to, hindi kakayanin ang 100k siguro for restoring the old multi cab to this hybrid system. Sa tingin nyo? Naiiisip ko palang yun mga conversions na gagawin sa design, mukhang magiging madugo. at yun pag iinstall ng mga madadagdag na parts lalo na at wala pang gumagawa ng ganito at magiging trial and error halos lahat ng mga changes na gagawin.

[ghosthunter]

Kasi sir there is an electric powered ambulance sa ust and we want to restore it as our thesis proposal. Sa pagkakaalam ko galing to sa multi cab and converted it to electric powered. I'm not sure pa pero sa tingin ko inalis lang yun engine nito e. Siguro tomorrow or next week i'll check it and its condition and kung talagang inalis lang yun engine nya. Kung ganon nga, we are planning to install the old engine or another engine that fits on it and at the same time, install new battery packs and electric motor on it. Siguro we can shell out a maximum of 100k for this project if this will be approved. What's your thoghts about this sir GH? Thanks for the reply sir GH!

Ok. There are two types of hybrid vehicles. The difference is how the engine is connected.

The first type is the engine is connected to the wheels. Electric motors give an assist in moving the wheels when needed.

The second type is the electric motors are connected to the wheels. The engine is only used as a generator for additional electric power when needed to extend the range and recharge the batteries.

Assuming the electric drive system in the EV ambulance is still functional & and existing batteries still hold a sufficient charge, you can save yourself a ton of money by keeping the system intact. All you need to figure out is how big a generator you need to install to charge the batteries & drive the electric motor at the same time (easy enough for a couple of electrical or mechanical engineers to compute the required output). End result, a hybrid vehicle.

This is similar to what is currently used in the Chevy Volt.

With a 100K budget, I think this is doable. Part of the money will be used for purchasing the generator & finding a clean way to install it. The other part will be used to either buy or develop a power controller to control power transfer between the generator, batteries and electric motor. Or go cheap and do the power shunting manually from a set of control switches & monitor it from a bank of dials and meters.

[zel.chikot]

Ok. There are two types of hybrid vehicles. The difference is how the engine is connected.

The first type is the engine is connected to the wheels. Electric motors give an assist in moving the wheels when needed.

The second type is the electric motors are connected to the wheels. The engine is only used as a generator for additional electric power when needed to extend the range and recharge the batteries.

Assuming the electric drive system in the EV ambulance is still functional & and existing batteries still hold a sufficient charge, you can save yourself a ton of money by keeping the system intact. All you need to figure out is how big a generator you need to install to charge the batteries & drive the electric motor at the same time (easy enough for a couple of electrical or mechanical engineers to compute the required output). End result, a hybrid vehicle.

This is similar to what is currently used in the Chevy Volt.

With a 100K budget, I think this is doable. Part of the money will be used for purchasing the generator & finding a clean way to install it. The other part will be used to either buy or develop a power controller to control power transfer between the generator, batteries and electric motor. Or go cheap and do the power shunting manually from a set of control switches & monitor it from a bank of dials and meters.

So no need for an ICE on this system right? Just a generator to charge the batteries just like how an ICE charges its batteries for example on a prius right? I think this system is a series hybrid system tama ba ako GH? Does this power controller serves as the ecu of an ice? Thanks sir!

[zel.chikot]

Naguluhan na ko, hindi ba kailangan padin ng engine dito GH? Just like the chevy volt, the engine drives the generator to charge the batteries and the electric motor drives the wheels? series hybrid system. While the parallel, the engine or electric motor may drive the wheels one at a time or at the samee time.

Edited: Oh I see, the chevy volt is a series/parallel hybrid system. It can do both.

[ronki]

Taga ust eng'g ako, nakita ko yung multi cab na yun, cut open yung sides kaya mukang maluwag, pero maliit lang talaga siya.

Tapos ang baterya niya kita ko dalawang motolite hehe...sadly di naman nagagamit...once or twice ko pa lang nakita nagamit yun, laging de tulak na wheelchair ang gamit ng health service pag nag susundo ng pasyente.

[zel.chikot]

Taga ust eng'g ako, nakita ko yung multi cab na yun, cut open yung sides kaya mukang maluwag, pero maliit lang talaga siya.

Tapos ang baterya niya kita ko dalawang motolite hehe...sadly di naman nagagamit...once or twice ko pa lang nakita nagamit yun, laging de tulak na wheelchair ang gamit ng health service pag nag susundo ng pasyente.

Oo nga daw ronki di na daw nagagamit yun ambulance na yun, balak namin kasi gawing public transpo nalang yun around ust, walang terminal, umiikot lang talaga siya kaya any student from any building department pwede sumakay. Ttitgnan ko nga yun ambulance na yun kung ano pwede mapakinabangan pa, nakatambak nalang daw kasi sa may botanical garden e.

[ghosthunter]

So no need for an ICE on this system right? Just a generator to charge the batteries just like how an ICE charges its batteries for example on a prius right? I think this system is a series hybrid system tama ba ako GH? Does this power controller serves as the ecu of an ice? Thanks sir!

The power controller controls when the generator runs and for how long. The engine ECU is a different purpose.

Btw the Prius has a mechanical connection between the engine and wheels.

[ghosthunter]

Naguluhan na ko, hindi ba kailangan padin ng engine dito GH? Just like the chevy volt, the engine drives the generator to charge the batteries and the electric motor drives the wheels? series hybrid system. While the parallel, the engine or electric motor may drive the wheels one at a time or at the samee time.

Edited: Oh I see, the chevy volt is a series/parallel hybrid system. It can do both.

The Chevy Volt can use the engine/generator to either charge the batteries or power the electric motors drive the wheels (or both at the same time). The engine has no direct mechanical link to the drive wheels.

[ronki]

Oo nga daw ronki di na daw nagagamit yun ambulance na yun, balak namin kasi gawing public transpo nalang yun around ust, walang terminal, umiikot lang talaga siya kaya any student from any building department pwede sumakay. Ttitgnan ko nga yun ambulance na yun kung ano pwede mapakinabangan pa, nakatambak nalang daw kasi sa may botanical garden e.

sa tingin ko halos lahat magagamit mo, i-improve niyo na lang yung motor nun. Yung battery din, palitan nalang siguro ng mas efficient at rechargeable na battey.

[niky]

If the thing hasn't been used, plan on buying batteries, because I can guarantee the ones on the ambulance will be shot. They're about 30k a pop for deep cycles from Motolite... maybe cheaper if you import US batteries under AFV rules.

If you want to get more than one or two "ikots" out of the batteries, you'll need three or four. Best to get them sponsored.

A gasoline generator would defeat the purpose of an "eco-friendly" hybrid. You'll consume more gas charging than you would simply puttering around. Leave it electric.

[ghosthunter]

A gasoline generator would defeat the purpose of an "eco-friendly" hybrid. You'll consume more gas charging than you would simply puttering around. Leave it electric.

Well, the generator could be considered eco-friendlier than a standard gas or diesel fueled alternative.

For one, the engine will not be running all the time when the vehicle is moving, only when needed to either recharge Also the generator could be fueled by whatever preferred choice since they have yet to acquire the generator system. If you want eco-friendly, it could be fueled by LPG or by used vegetable cooking oil.

[niky]

Well, the generator could be considered eco-friendlier than a standard gas or diesel fueled alternative.

For one, the engine will not be running all the time when the vehicle is moving, only when needed to either recharge Also the generator could be fueled by whatever preferred choice since they have yet to acquire the generator system. If you want eco-friendly, it could be fueled by LPG or by used vegetable cooking oil.

Yeah, that's a good idea! Given the size of the UST campus, you have a lot of sources for veggie oil. Building a purification system with a water separator won't cost all that much.

[zel.chikot]

Yeah, that's a good idea! Given the size of the UST campus, you have a lot of sources for veggie oil. Building a purification system with a water separator won't cost all that much.

Sir niky and Sir GH, all your inputs are noted! That idea about the vegetable oil as fuel for the engine that will charge the batteries is a good idea! But I think a study about the purification system for veggie oil inside the campus is already a good thesis proposal. And adding a hybrid vehicle on our study will cost much more. And it will be a lot harder. Maybe we can let other groups do the purification system and we could do the HV or vice versa.

Btw we also had this proposal about algae as an alternative fuel but we're still researching about its feasibility.

Thanks for the inputs GH and Niky!

[niky]

No prob.

Algae is very complicated, you could build a proof-of-concept, but your yield will be very small.

Much more feasible and useful to the University is veggie-oil and a veggie-oil conversion for existing diesel generators.

Also possible but more ambitious is a methane generation and compression facility, working off of the University's septic tanks. Though I don't personally know the suppliers, there are those who do conversions for generators to run on methane here in the Philippines.

Anyway... anything is possible, you just have to crunch the numbers on the budget. Good luck!

[ghosthunter]

Btw we also had this proposal about algae as an alternative fuel but we're still researching about its feasibility.

That alone would be worth a thesis. It requires some special strain of algae that stores extra sugars within itself and then you have to find a method for extraction of that stored chemical then use it as raw material for bio-diesel. You will also need to find a way to grow algae that is more space efficient as well. Current trend for that is by using vertical stacks of plastic bags as it's growing area.