>Then I thought, why does the motor have to be incorporated into the rear
>drive train.  Could I replace my 2WD front suspension and steering
>components with those from a Syncro sans axle shafts?  Then install a pair
>of electric motors, one for each side, capable of directly driving a front
>wheel.  Connect each motor to the corresponding wheel with a custome axle
>shaft and CV joints.  Each motor would have a dedicated motor controller
>but shared battery bank.  The motor controller would utilize inputs of
>throttle position and brake line pressure to determine how much forward or
>reverse torque to generate at the front wheels.  If the battery bank
>started to run down a bit then it could be recharged as you drive down the
>highway by stealing a little bit of torque from the front wheels.
>
>Just an idea that I thought I would put out there.

Otmar has had just this sort of thing planned for his stretch Westy for
some time...