Description and diagrams of how the plug-in rechargeable electric drive axle unit works and its parts work together.
There are 238 million vehicles on the road today in the United States; of those 120 million are front wheel drives.This invention has the potential of reaching the largest number and by far the fastest way and the least expensive way of turning millions of vehicles in to rechargeable electric drive vehicles.This idea replaces the unused rear axle of a front wheel drive vehicle with rechargeable electric power.The electric drive axle will not interfere with the existing drive train, but will add inexpensive rechargeable electric power.
The cost of a new electric vehicle or hybric can be as much as $50,000.The rechargeable electric drive axle is estimated to cost $3,000 to $5,000 and it can be added to any front wheel drive vehicle new or used.The electric drive axle is designed to bolt up to all models of front wheel drive vehicles. With this design there are no changes to the structure, body or the engine of the vehicle.This unit will fit any new or used front wheel drive vehicle.
It is estimated to have a range of 1 to 3 hours of running time with speeds up to 65 mph.This mileage can vary by the size, the weight and by the driving habits of the driver.The range of the vehicle can also be extended with the addition of different battery systems.As new technology in batteries advances such a Niccole Cadim, or lithium Ion the stats will improve.
Comparing the electric drive axle with the hybrid, the first being the cost.A new Hybrid vs. the cost of adding this to an existing car or even a new front wheel drive Vehicle.Another is the mileage, the Toyota Pries get’s 50 mpg.Add the electric drive axle to a standard Toyota.While running on electric power the gasoline motor is idling, this will give you all the standard equipment.Power brakes, power steering, heater, air conditioning, and your head lights or windshield wipers will not be drawing from the batteries that are used to push the car.In my experiments I have found that with everything on, the most a gasoline engine uses is a quart an hour to idle.If you drive less than 100 miles a day and are on the road for 2 hours per day you might use 2 quarts of gasoline.The batteries will take 3 to 5 hours for a full charge, and can be plugged into any household outlet.If this is you, with the electric drive axle you should see a savings of 70% to 90 % in gasoline.
Comparing this idea with an electric vehicle, a car that’s only source of power is from its batteries, everything runs off the batteries.With the electric drive axle fewer batteries are needed with a longer range.The use of the electric drive axle still has the standard front wheel drive that gives the driver two complete and separate power sources.With this advantage there is the option on long trips of using the gas motor to recharge the batteries.There is also a big safety factor of having two separate power sources.Cars brake down, and seldom in your driveway.
To explain the four diagrams I have lettered the diagrams A, B, C, and D.I have numbered the parts in each diagram.
Diagram A; shows the relationship of the two engines, gas and electric.Number 1, 2, and 3 are the electric motor, optional 1 or 2 speed gear box.Number 3 shows the drive axle housing and how the electric motor, gear box and the wheel line up.Items 4, 5, and 6 are the standard gasoline, transaxle and carburetor.The gasoline motor drives the two front wheels.The electric motor drives the one rear wheel, but there is an optional two wheel electric drive axle that would drive the two rear wheels.No where do the two drive trains connect, but they can be both run at the same time.
Diagram B; shows the entire wiring diagram for a basic electric drive axle unit.Number 1is the batteries showing 12-12 volt batteries wired in series adding up to 144 volts.I feel that this is the maximum that will be needed for the heavy cars and down to 6-12 volt batteries for the smaller cars.Number 2 is the controller, the battery connects to it and then to the motor.This controls the speed, and is also connected to number 7 which is the accelerator for the electric motor.Number 3 is a 12 volt solenoid switch which turns off and on the battery cables to the controller and then on to the electric motor.Number 4 is the wiring harness that connects the shift and throttle switch to the controller.Number 5 being the shift and throttle switch switches the throttle from gas drive to electric drive.It is designed to switch the throttle to electric drive when in neutral and then when put in drive switch the throttle to the gasoline engine.The idea behind this switch and number 7 the accelerator switch is to make the electric drive unit as simple as shifting it would be from forward to reverse.The way that this is designed is to not only keep it user friendly but it keeps installation simple.This switch is not more than a half inch thick will easily fasten to the console.There is also a switch designed the column shift.Number 6 the wires between the shift-throttle switch and the accelerator switch.
Diagram C; is the shift throttle switch with 1 being the entire unit.Number 2 is two switches that reverse polarity.Two of these switches are used because there is two ways to get to neutral, one from park and the other from drive.Number 3 is a off on switch.It has two separate functions; one is to turn the main battery cable solenoid switch off and on.The other turns the controller on.Number 4, 5, 6, and 7 are the wiring that I feel connects everything together.Number 4 to the accelerator switch, number 5 to the 12 volt battery system of the car, 6 to the controller and number 7 to the main off-on solenoid switch.
Diagram D; is the gas and electric motor accelerator switch.Number 1 is the Carburetor.This switch is designed to switch the throttle from the gas motor to the electric motor.I feel that this switch could be place in several different places.I built and placed this at the carburetor, I feel that with different models of cars that this can go simply near the gas pedal.Number 2, the electric motor accelerator switch.Number 3 is a solenoid switch that connects the two throttle arms, one from the electric and the other from the gas motor.When current is added the arm of the solenoid will withdraw allowing the throttle cable number 6 to pull only on the electric motor accelerator arm.When current is reversed the solenoid will extend is arm connecting with the carburetor pulling both arms forward.If the main electric motor switch is on in this position both motors will accelerate.If the main switch for the electric motor is off then only the gas motor will respond.Number 7 is the wires that run to the shift-throttle switch.
PAGE A:Electric drive and gas engine diagram.
1:electric motor
2:one or two speed gear box
3:drive axle housing
4:Gas engine
5:transaxle and gas engine drive train
6:carburetor and electric motor accelerator
PAGE B:Electric motor speed and drive wiring diagram
1:Batteries wired for 144 volt system
2:electric motor speed controller
3:electric solenoid main off on switch
4:harness for speed and drive controller
5:speed and drive controller
6:electric motor accelerator switch wiring
7:electric motor accelerator switch
PAGE C:electric motor speed and drive controller
1:electric motor speed and drive controller
2:reversing switches to accelerator solenoid switching from gas to electric
Motor
3:main off on switch for electric drive system
4:wiring to main controller
5:wiring to solenoid to switch between gas or electric drive
PAGE D:gas and electric motor accelerator switch
1:carburetor for gas engine
2:accelerator switch for electric motor
3:accelerator solenoid switch to use gas, electric or both
