Motorized Mechanical Drive (pusher trailer)

[michael]

Legal???

Why not? Of course it would have to abide by the same standards as a towed trailer, but unless there were some law prohibiting such a thing, as far as I understand it, if it's not against the law, it's legal.

 

[jimbo69ny]

Shhhhh. Dont wake the beast. If they dont know about it, its legal, right?

 

[michael]

You might also look at the thread on this site about pusher trailers

http://www.myrav4ev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1350&start=0

This is another approach that allows unlimited range when needed. I know a guy (I really know him...not "I know a guy who knows a guy"...) who regularly drives his RAV4EV between Utah and Los Angeles using this approach.

But still the very best generator for charging an EV is one that is located at the local power company. It's clean and efficient compared to portable generators and there's nothing to haul around. If you can possibly find a place to plug in, that's the way to go.

 

[jimbo69ny]

Yeah I posted that thread about the pusher trailer. I thought it would be cool to build one but I don't know how to do it myself and my friends that have that capability all tell me it's very dangerous and they won't help.

I like taking road trips so I thought about the generator just in case. I also like to be prepared so having it around the house would be nice. But I didn't realize they were $3000+! That's more than I want to spend at the moment.

 

[4EVEREV]

Yeah I posted that thread about the pusher trailer. I thought it would be cool to build one but I don't know how to do it myself and my friends that have that capability all tell me it's very dangerous and they won't help.

I like taking road trips so I thought about the generator just in case. I also like to be prepared so having it around the house would be nice. But I didn't realize they were $3000+! That's more than I want to spend at the moment.

Rent a hybrid or other car.

 

[michael]

Yeah I posted that thread about the pusher trailer. I thought it would be cool to build one but I don't know how to do it myself and my friends that have that capability all tell me it's very dangerous and they won't help.

I like taking road trips so I thought about the generator just in case. I also like to be prepared so having it around the house would be nice. But I didn't realize they were $3000+! That's more than I want to spend at the moment.

Rent a hybrid or other car.

That's generally the best way and exactly what I recommend to people who worry about "what if I want to go to Santa Barbara/Las Vegas/etc", but the limitation is that you are stuck with the rented ice or hybrid at your destination. That's fine for a weekend, but what if you want to go somewhere for several weeks? The pusher trailer concept allows you to get there and then disconnect the trailer. You then have your pure EV until it's time to return.

 

[jimbo69ny]

I just really like my Rav and I'd want to drive it instead of a rental. Plus I'd have to put gas in a rental.

 

[[email protected]]

hay jimbo PUSHER are safe! I have loge over 4000 mile on mine.

thar legal until someone passes a law against them. mine weight less than 700lbs, so in utah I don't need a license plate.

thar cheep as a mechanically sound old VW air cooled sedan.

they get 22 MPG on 87 octane gasoline while pushing a Rav4 at 55 mph.

they require NO MODIFICATION of the Rav4, trailer hitch receivers are available at online retailers. wen you go to bolt it on not only will you find existing hole in the Rav4 frame rails at exactly the right place,and then and only then you will discover that the holes in the Rav4 frame rails are already threadid. The trailer wiring harness is also plug and play if you don't cheep out.

they get lots of curious look and questions. some people get it right away but many EV'er even with the physical evidence right in front of them can't get their head around it. you see it has an engine and no line of code.

the biggest problem with the Pusher Trailer is the name it just get no respect. so maybe a pedantic abbreviation such as "Modular Hybrid System"(M.H.S.) this would allow us to ridicule those who are not in the know and who mint point the emperor is naked.

so jimbo: buy an old bug in New York, let me know you're coming,PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL !,and 6 hours after you arrive in Utah you to will owen a M.H.S. then will try to come up with a way to get you and your M.H.S. back to New York. minent be the best offer you get all week.

P.S. you'll all so need to find a good air cool VW mechanic with a real good sens of humor.

 

[jimbo69ny]

Wow I am so glad you joined the conversation! Would you really be willing to help me make one!? I have a buddy here in NY that's a beetle nut! I know he has one that's complete but he may even have another one thats mostly compete.

Does it have to be a bug though? Aren't there more efficient options we could use? What about some kind of motorcycle pusher?

I have a lot of free time so driving out there would not be a problem. Plus I love road trips!

 

[Kohler Controller]

Don't use a VW bug engine as a pusher! Although I love VW's (my first car was a 1974 VW Thing), the emissions could hardly be worse. Pushing a RAV4EV with a dirty engine (absolutely no emission control) is like protecting animals from the rain by covering them with rare animal skins. (I'm sure there are better metaphors, but you get the idea).

Consider this mobile rapid charging system from Polar Power.
26kW with CHAdeMo
http://www.polarpower.com/applications/rapid-charging/

Or better yet, have these sprinkled throughout the US at every Dairy Queen (I chose Dairy Queen because down south they are mostly located in small towns rather than large ones).

 

[[email protected]]

hay Kohler couldn't agree with you more after we build jimbo M.H.S. we'll swing by Austin so you can fit a catalytic converter and a closed loop feedback fuel mixture control circuit. due to the fix RPM nature operation ignition timing modulation should not be necessary. this is exiting to have you on board with project not only will this make it cleaner it will make much more efficient 22 MPH will bee a thing of the past.

I check out 26kW CHAdeMo but the wheels aren't big enough and i;m having hard time finding the CHAdeMO port on my Rav4, Were is your located?

be careful with the DQ sprinkle they may make your brain fill big but it usually just fat.