Don't get me wrong, Toyota's hybrid drive train with planetary gear sets is a work of art to this mechanical engineer (although I've found a 100 year old mecahnical hydraulic equivalent).
One of the things that I dislike about the modern crop of ues (like my colorado) is that we are spinning the front diff and driveline continuously...no lock in hubs like my old Nissan.
Got me thinking that the Tx Case, front Diff and dirveshaft adds a few hundred pounds to the equation, and is being spun up/down continuously...sooo.
Why not replace the front drive train with an electric motor/diff assembly ?
Need 4WD, and it's there for on average a half battery's worth.
Need to recharge battery, then it's circulating power mode, spinning the front wheels to generate.
Regenerative braking, no probs, the fronts do most of the braking anyway.
Bit of "thrust vectoring" to help the front end in slippery situations.
Nothing REALLY says that you have to have the electric and mechanical drivelines connected. It's all pretty agricultural anyway, and the engines are now all DBW, so could be programmed to do whatever you want...the 6L50 isn't going to know or care what it's loaded with.
One of the things that I dislike about the modern crop of ues (like my colorado) is that we are spinning the front diff and driveline continuously...no lock in hubs like my old Nissan.
Got me thinking that the Tx Case, front Diff and dirveshaft adds a few hundred pounds to the equation, and is being spun up/down continuously...sooo.
Why not replace the front drive train with an electric motor/diff assembly ?
Need 4WD, and it's there for on average a half battery's worth.
Need to recharge battery, then it's circulating power mode, spinning the front wheels to generate.
Regenerative braking, no probs, the fronts do most of the braking anyway.
Bit of "thrust vectoring" to help the front end in slippery situations.
Nothing REALLY says that you have to have the electric and mechanical drivelines connected. It's all pretty agricultural anyway, and the engines are now all DBW, so could be programmed to do whatever you want...the 6L50 isn't going to know or care what it's loaded with.