Then build a hybrid! Put a 1.6NA diesel in the back of a syncro, remove the
driveshaft, install a solid shaft in replacement of the Viscous Coupling,
attach an electric motor to the front differential, wire it up to a bank of
batteries being fed by the massive alternator you've attached to the 1.6NA.
Set up a controller that starts and shuts down the diesel engine
accordingly. And there you have it, a hybrid!
And a diesel hybrid at that!

-Craig
'85GL.
If i had a spare million, i'd probably build a hybrid.

On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 11:41 PM, Allan Streib <streib@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:

> "Michael A. Radtke" <wa7zpu@CISAZ.COM> writes:
>
> > The EV1, the Toyota RAV4 and the other cars that rose to the
> > California challenge did quite well even on lead acid batteries.
> > However, the car companies chose to fight California's mandates in
> > court and won.  Just as soon as they were victorious, they recalled
> > their cars and crushed them.
>
> I don't recall the sources, but the way I remember this those vehicles
> were "experimental" and did not have to meet DOT safety standards.
> They were crushed because they were not safe.
>
> > There have been some Vanagon conversions but I can't speak to how
> > successful they were.
>
> With current technology, the Vanagon is too heavy a chassis for a pure
> electric.  Might do OK as a hybrid.
>
> Allan
> --
> 1991 Vanagon GL
>