Chrysler is wise to avoid the hybrids

On Mon, 19 Jun 2005 wrote:

> The batteries, when you have to pay market price for them, will be the
> deal breaker.

Yep.

> Rather than a Prius, I would consider a full sized platform such as a
> Chrysler New Yorker or Imperial of early '60s vintage, a commercial
> chassis Cadillac, or even a RR Shadow or Camargue (they can come up
> cheaply if mechanicals are bad enough!). I would fit a DC motor/axle
> unit at the rear

So far so good...

> possibly a transverse manual minivan or Cadillac manual transaxle, and a
> small genset in the front.

Er...huh? What would this transaxle of yours be for? Surely not for
gearing the drive motor...!

The drive motor has to go either sideways or front-and-back. If you
want sideways, you will have to adapt a transaxle. Front and back means
either heavy motor mounting and a driveshaft or building a flange mount
to go on the axle directly. A FWD transaxle could be adapted with not
much more work as a De Dion setup if you didn't want A-arms and
linkage. I don't think there is an off-the-shelf motor/axle package
available.

On Mon, 19 Jun 2005 wrote:

> The drive motor has to go either sideways or front-and-back.

....unless they're integrated into the hubs.