A Battery-Powered Batpod With Shotguns, Flamethrowers

Comic books have always inspired creativity in young and eager minds, though these days kids are more likely to flock to movie theaters than comic shops to catch the latest adventures of their preferred superhero.  Batman has been an especially popular character the past two decades, inspiring plenty of unique projects, like this Harley V-Rod converted into an all-electric Batpod equipped with shotguns and flamethowers.

Up on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $27,500, this unique electric motorcycle started out as a 2002 Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Gone is the V-twin combustion engine though, and in its place is a HPEVS electric motor and a Curtis controller that puts out 65 horsepower and 82 ft-lbs of torque. While the original V-twin motor made around 115 horsepower, it also only made about 65 ft-lbs of torque, and I always prefer the pull of torque to raw horsepower.

Sporting enough Optima Bluetop batteries for 40 miles of driving range, this electric Batpod won’t be able to give chase to the Joker for very long. But with optional flamethrowers and shotguns mounted to this electric Batpod (Preview) , Bats could do some serious damage once he closed the distance.

Traffic would be a heck of a lot more fun with a flame-throwing, shotgun-blasting Batpod, that’s for sure.

Source: eBay via Autoblog Green

PHEV conversion company HPEV shipping sub-assembles and components for Ford F-350 class 3 truck

HPEV, Inc., a plug-in hybrid conversion company, says it ia delivering sub-assemblies and components for commercializing its parallel hybrid conversion system on a Ford 350 class 3 truck. Final assembly will begin shortly with a target date for completion of the introductory unit at the end of the third calendar quarter.

The HPEV system uses lead acid batteries to power an electric motor drive which in turn powers a traction motor attached to the rear axle of a vehicle. The conversion process itself entails the change-out of the rear axle; the engine and transmission are untouched.

A traction motor containing HPEV heat pipe technology and a motor drive are attached to the frame and connected to the rear axle. Then the battery box is bolted on and filled with batteries to power the electric motor.

The cabling, sensors and controllers are connected. Two controls are mounted on the dash. One enables the driver to set the percentage of load assist from the electric motor (0-100%). A second control enables the driver to set the amount of regenerative braking required. Regenerative braking powers the heating, air conditioning and other accessories when your vehicle is running on electric power.

The estimated turnaround time for a hybrid plug in conversion is 80 person hours for cars and SUVs , longer for hybrid truck conversions and other commercial vehicles.

The conversion technology is scalable and the HPEV intends to establish vehicle platforms for Class 4 and 5 trucks concurrently.


Source: Green Car Congress