Many years ago my CAD teacher told us that he wanted to design a new type of car. One that used hydraulic motors at the wheels and a small motor to power the system. He also described what’s now called regenerative breaking (where the hydraulic motors are reversed and become pumps). He described the accumulator and how the system basically worked. It sounded viable at the time (although I doubted it’s efficiency).
Well Mr. Byrd, this link and article is for you!!!
Take a look at this site: www.valentintechnologies.com
It’s Mr. Byrd’s car!! Almost…
Now Mr. Byrd was a very smart guy, (If I remember right, he worked at Boeing for several years as an Engineer before passing on his knowledge to us dweebs) but he was also the down to earth type. Built his own butter bean shelling machine. But this was in 1985-87. So now, 20+ years later someone’s finally trying to get around to this idea? What’s so new? Why haven’t prototypes already been made? I see guys making cars in their garage all the time (go to H.A.M.B) or maybe put this drivetrain in the Avion (it’s ALSO a home-built.. hint hint..)?
Avion 100+ mpg home built
I say the time has come and past for this guys.. I don’t care if you get 5000 international patents, they don’t mean anything to me when I’m paying almost $3.00 a gallon, getting 21 mpg, and NO my T/A doesn’t do 0-60 in 5 seconds either.. theory and school time is over.. BUILD IT ALREADY!! If I was in your class I know I wouldn’t mind a few weekends welding and sanding. I’m sure that’d be more fun than learning.. Oh wait, maybe I WOULD learn something?
OK, OK.. I don’t have anything accomplished on my home built Indy Car either so I’ll cut you some slack, but only if you’ll give me 4 of the wheelmotors you’ve developed. I’m sure a turbo V6 or V-Twin could drive a hydraulic pump too. Oh, and maybe just a slice of the $240,000 you’ve got from my tax money might motivate me a little too.
