dreamer or innovative thinker

[linuxfan66]

Brisbane engineer plans to make electric Mitsubishi Pajero that can tow 4.5 tonnes

Electrical engineer embarks upon plan to convert Pajero with 400km range and 4.5 tonne tow capacity using self-developed battery cells and drivetrain.

thedriven.io

this guy is seems a bit ambitious..but it dont want a take away his chance of success. my issue if with current technology im not sure he can make this work. technologically or legally. but i dont want to say its impossible for him to succeed either. i...dont know what to say

 

[Kippie]

The article mentioned Elon Musk who also started small. We need people like this and I sincerely hope he succeeds. Potential problem is that once it goes into production he may move to China.

 

[Outrage]

I'd say the tech is there. Most things are possible, but comes down to cost.

Chassis/suspension etc can be upgraded/reinforced if the stock body can't handle 4.5 T. It would need to undergo all the proper testing to be considered road worthy.

Industry uses electric motors in all sorts of applications, like moving 5000T machines or spinning pumps at over 20,000 rpm. Find the right balance of motor and gearing for the application and batteries for the range.

$$$ is the question. I'd expect this isn't something the average consumer can afford if it does get going. Particularly with the batteries and the comparison he gives them compared to what Tesla use.

 

[Toyasaurus]

Hopefully he will have success,

With a bit of luck and forward thinking maybe the the gov`t will see the benefits and back this up. Highly unlikely.

If it works we will be buying it back from China in years down the track.

 

[smwhiskey]

Assuming he can get over the existing pajero towing limits (which out of the factory are nowhere near 4.5t), I can't see a problem towing 4.5t with whatever he comes up with.

But being able to tow 4.5t far enough to make it realistically useful is another completely different box of frogs.

 

[typhoeus]

Maybe the 4.5T is for the trailer carrying the battery pack. . .

 

[Mick_Marsh]

Assuming he can get over the existing pajero towing limits (which out of the factory are nowhere near 4.5t),

Yep. That's the biggest hurdle.

 

[Albynsw]

Yep. That's the biggest hurdle.

I reckon that is the least of his concern, good on him for having a go but he has a lot of issues to resolve

 

[Mick_Marsh]

I reckon that is the least of his concern, good on him for having a go but he has a lot of issues to resolve

Such as?
Electrical automotive tech has been around for well over a century. We can already electrify a vehicle that can travel over 400km. Want more range, add more batteries. Want more pulling power, use a bigger motor and add more batteries.
Getting a Pajero approved to tow 4.5t and increase it's GCM (because you will have to increas the GCM and the GVM), that is the issue.

 

[2luxes]

Getting a Pajero approved to tow 4.5t and increase it's GCM (because you will have to increas the GCM and the GVM), that is the issue.

That certainly is the issue. You might get away with it with a 4.5 ton small trailer around the
surburbs but something like a 4.5 ton caravan out on the highways could easily flick a little Pajero out of the way in some situations.

 

[Kippie]

That certainly is the issue. You might get away with it with a 4.5 ton small trailer around the
surburbs but something like a 4.5 ton caravan out on the highways could easily flick a little Pajero out of the way in some situations.

Thinking laterally; we already have autonomous cars. What if future trailers were fitted with a simplified autonomous system that automatically responds to the towing vehicle's movements? There's no need then for a towbar, hence no towing, but guiding and the trailer load is not a limiting factor anymore.

 

[red hilux]

Electric 4wd, how about a trailer plug to power electric wheels on the trailer, help tow in soft sand

 

[Hoyks]

I think physics will limit his ambitions somewhat... and ADR's

It takes power to move stuff, so adding batteries to get extra range adds weight, which negatively effects your range, so you add batteries..... its vicious circle of diminishing returns and unless there is a lighter battery/vehicle, make it more streamlined or get a more efficient motor, then he'll hit the wall pretty quick.
Its a problem airliner designers face all the time, its relatively easy to make a plane to fly from Sydney to London, but after packing in enough fuel to do the job, you can't fit enough cargo or people to make it economically viable, hence why for a long time everything transited via Singapore or Dubai to refuel.

Pretty sure ADR's will have something to say about the vehicle and combined vehicle mass that may limit his ambition too. He might be able to engineer his way out of it, but a fully loaded Paj with a 4.5t trailer might push it into the medium truck bracket and need a licence upgrade for meer mortals to drive (not hard to get though). Pretty sure no Pajero's came from the factory approved for more than 3t.

Pumping a Paj up past the factory engineered weight limit is also asking stuff to break too. Reading the article he just wants it to go like stink for a short time, rather than long distance tourer, so he might be happy with 150km of mad skids.

Electric 4wd, how about a trailer plug to power electric wheels on the trailer, help tow in soft sand

Landrover did it with a PTO option, thats why the old Landies have that big hole in the rear crossmember

 

[Albynsw]

Unless he can maintain some sort of decent range the towing capacity is a moot point unless you are just taking a trailer to the local tip or boat ramp

 

[Mick_Marsh]

Electric 4wd, how about a trailer plug to power electric wheels on the trailer, help tow in soft sand

Powered trailers are not new. They are more truoble that they are worth. There are instability issues when the trailer is pushing the towing vehicle.

 

[cam04]

I think physics will limit his ambitions somewhat... and ADR's

It takes power to move stuff, so adding batteries to get extra range adds weight, which negatively effects your range, so you add batteries..... its vicious circle of diminishing returns and unless there is a lighter battery/vehicle, make it more streamlined or get a more efficient motor, then he'll hit the wall pretty quick.
Its a problem airliner designers face all the time, its relatively easy to make a plane to fly from Sydney to London, but after packing in enough fuel to do the job, you can't fit enough cargo or people to make it economically viable, hence why for a long time everything transited via Singapore or Dubai to refuel.

Pretty sure ADR's will have something to say about the vehicle and combined vehicle mass that may limit his ambition too. He might be able to engineer his way out of it, but a fully loaded Paj with a 4.5t trailer might push it into the medium truck bracket and need a licence upgrade for meer mortals to drive (not hard to get though). Pretty sure no Pajero's came from the factory approved for more than 3t.

Pumping a Paj up past the factory engineered weight limit is also asking stuff to break too. Reading the article he just wants it to go like stink for a short time, rather than long distance tourer, so he might be happy with 150km of mad skids.


Landrover did it with a PTO option, thats why the old Landies have that big hole in the rear crossmember

I worked for ‘major’ Hulse after he was an engineer in the army. He was up to his neck in engineering vehicles and working out how corrugations are formed and testing various options. I asked him about the PTO driven trailers and all he said was ‘great idea, abject failure in the field’.

 

[Mick_Marsh]

It takes power to move stuff, so adding batteries to get extra range adds weight, which negatively effects your range, so you add batteries..... its vicious circle of diminishing returns and unless there is a lighter battery/vehicle, make it more streamlined or get a more efficient motor, then he'll hit the wall pretty quick.

I think he'll hit the GVM before he hits that limit.

More of a concern for trucks.

 

[Petunia]

3 ton [plus batteries motors minus fuel engine] plus 4.5 ton towing = 7ton =?

concept, but no production, in my opinion

 

[Albynsw]

3 ton [plus batteries motors minus fuel engine] plus 4.5 ton towing = 7ton =?

concept, but no production, in my opinion

Agree, I think it is a poor choice of a platform to start with so will have multiple hurdles to get over. Would of been better to start with something a bit bigger that was designed for more capacity in the first place so his efforts could be more focused on the EV aspect
Be interesting to see how he goes with it.

 

[Petunia]

Agree, I think it is a poor choice of a platform to start with so will have multiple hurdles to get over. Would of been better to start with something a bit bigger that was designed for more capacity in the first place so his efforts could be more focused on the EV aspect
Be interesting to see how he goes with it.

There is also the hope it goes 0 to 100 in ????

as a thought, guess how much a 50mm towball is rated at?

yes, interesting it will be, unless like the civic, other things come first?