送交者: skipper3 于 2005-10-13, 21:38:46:
concept car. I think it was the once hunhun is looking for.
The car was driven by four independent compact electric motors. I think it is by far the most fancy four wheel drive system man has developed: motor was installed directly onto wheel hubs. Each motor was powered and controlled independently by a computer. The main energy source was a generator driven by a 1.3L gas engine running at optimal constant speed. A small battery served as a buffer and regulator between generator and four motors. MOtors also absorbed energy and fed it back into the battery at braking time.
I saw the picture and was amzed: the car is mechanically super simple. There is no complicated metal bars and axles lying under the hood and body. The only minor problem was the mass on the other end of suspension link is greater than a normal car, because of the motor. So the ride is not as good. Chrysler claims the car achived gas mileage up to 50mpg. That's a full-size family sedan and that was about 8 years ago.
To me it sounds like a great design. It's simple, easy to build, easy to maintain, and it performs great. One can make it simpler by removing two rear motors. I don't understand why they did not put it into production. Any LiKe people here can speculate a possible reason?