Hybrid Promaster RV?

[Smith101]

Maxwell Vehicles took a Promaster and swapped the Pentatstar powertrain for a Voltec (Chevy Volt) powertrain and put the 18.4 kWh battery under the floor.

While primary target market is delivery vans, they say they are talking to RV outfitters about an RV version.

How fast (slow?) would a Promaster loaded to 9000lb. proceed up a long 4% grade leading up to a mountain pass with only 149hp, 294lb.ft. torque? Any educated guesses?



https://www.autoblog.com/2019/04/30/...w-first-drive/

[rowiebowie]

Things are going electric, but not soon enough or capable enough to make me give up my gas engine yet. But I do watch these developments with interest.

At least a large enough battery pack for the engine could do double duty as coach power and eliminate the need for gasoline, propane tank, or separate generator. Which would generally be a great advancement for rv'ing.
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[dw8928]

I was just in the Shoshone National Forest 2 weeks ago in my Travato going up 16 miles of 7% grade in the snow. Imagine if you cannot recharge under those conditions.

Originally Posted by Smith101

Maxwell Vehicles took a Promaster and swapped the Pentatstar powertrain for a Voltec (Chevy Volt) powertrain and put the 18.4 kWh battery under the floor.

While primary target market is delivery vans, they say they are talking to RV outfitters about an RV version.

How fast (slow?) would a Promaster loaded to 9000lb. proceed up a long 4% grade leading up to a mountain pass with only 149hp, 294lb.ft. torque? Any educated guesses?



https://www.autoblog.com/2019/04/30/...w-first-drive/

[jon]

Forget the voltec system just add a Pacifica hybrid system to the existing 3.6 v6. A 16Kw battery for low speeds and RV needs. Then a good old gasoline engine for freeway speeds. Best of both worlds.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Smith101

Maxwell Vehicles took a Promaster and swapped the Pentatstar powertrain for a Voltec (Chevy Volt) powertrain and put the 18.4 kWh battery under the floor.

While primary target market is delivery vans, they say they are talking to RV outfitters about an RV version.

How fast (slow?) would a Promaster loaded to 9000lb. proceed up a long 4% grade leading up to a mountain pass with only 149hp, 294lb.ft. torque? Any educated guesses?



https://www.autoblog.com/2019/04/30/...w-first-drive/

Those numbers are similar to the small diesels they use in the vans, so as long as you had the battery to power the motors, I would expect the climb to be similar.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by jon

Forget the voltec system just add a Pacifica hybrid system to the existing 3.6 v6. A 16Kw battery for low speeds and RV needs. Then a good old gasoline engine for freeway speeds. Best of both worlds.

Good point. The Promaster and Pacifica both use the same 3.6L Pentastar v-6, so it just seems a better powertrain swap than a GM.
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[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by dw8928

I was just in the Shoshone National Forest 2 weeks ago in my Travato going up 16 miles of 7% grade in the snow. Imagine if you cannot recharge under those conditions.

Nice pics. Better you than me driving in the snow since I have zero experience.
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[MotoVan]

Originally Posted by Smith101

How fast (slow?) would a Promaster loaded to 9000lb. proceed up a long 4% grade leading up to a mountain pass with only 149hp, 294lb.ft. torque? Any educated guesses?

My educated guess is a square root of 2 slower. So if a loaded gas ProMaster with 305hp can climb that hill at 70mph, this hybrid 149hp one will be climbing at 50mph.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by MotoVan

My educated guess is a square root of 2 slower. So if a loaded gas ProMaster with 305hp can climb that hill at 70mph, this hybrid 149hp one will be climbing at 50mph.

"My educated guess is a square root of 2 slower."

I'm slower yet, don't understand that.

hp is hp. As I recall the first Sprinters could climb hills at 70 with about 150 something hp, 157hp?

[MotoVan]

Originally Posted by Bud

"My educated guess is a square root of 2 slower."

I'm slower yet, don't understand that.

hp is hp. As I recall the first Sprinters could climb hills at 70 with about 150 something hp, 157hp?

Whichever grade that Sprinter can climb at 70mph, the ProMaster can climb at 100mph.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by MotoVan

Whichever grade that Sprinter can climb at 70mph, the ProMaster can climb at 100mph.

Along with the Transit and Express Van. Oh forgot, Sprinters can't go 100mph anyway.