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Hybrid Dinghy Pusher Patent Pending, UAIPD08-0006

What is a Hybrid Dinghy Pusher (HDP)?

HDP: A hybrid-electric passenger vehicle (HEV) that has been adapted to increase acceleration and improve fuel economy of the motorhome towing it.

Why tow an HDP instead of a regular SUV or sedan? The HDP can provide a performance increase and cost savings to the motorhome owner.

How does the HDP provide these benefits? - A conventional hybrid is adapted to utilize its electric system to recycle

energy when being towed. The HDP’s onboard motors provide propulsion during acceleration and act as electric generators during braking.

- Energy stored in the batteries is used to increase system acceleration and reduce motorhome fuel consumption.

- Bottom Line: The electrical system in the HDP helps the motorhome.

But don’t hybrids only provide real benefits for in-town driving? Most motorhome driving is on the highway. - An HDP can provide a fuel savings on the interstate. As an extreme

example, consider an HDP being towed behind a motorhome in the hill country of Kentucky.

o Going down hill… HDP goes into generator mode and stores energy in the batteries. While doing this, pulling caused by the HDP helps

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maintain motorhome speed. The folks living near the highway will appreciate not hearing the Jake brake!

o Going up hill… Energy previously stored in the batteries is used to help “push” the motorhome up the hill! Since the motorhome engine does not have to work as hard, the HDP saves gas and improves motorhome performance. What about owners that don’t care about saving fuel? They can go up the hill faster than folks without an HDP, using the same amount of fuel!

o Here comes the next hill. Go back two steps and start all over. - This fuel saving process works the same when driving in stop-and-go

traffic and in-town. Therefore, the HDP provides benefits for both in-town and highway driving.

So you can turn off the motorhome engine? - No. The HDP is an assistive technology that takes advantage of

currently available hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The assistance provided is not meant to replace the propulsion provided by the motorhome engine, just supplement it.

- The HDP will, however, reduce wear on the motorhome engine. So there are other benefits besides the reduced fuel consumption.

What are the benefits in terms of real numbers? - When towing a regular SUV-dinghy behind a 47,000 lb motorhome, the

weight increases up to 15% with no other benefits. - When towing an HDP behind a motorhome, the overall available

horsepower increases by 16%. Except for the minor modification costs for the hybrid, the use of this added electrical horsepower is free!

What about the hardware costs? Are there real savings? - Since hybrid motorhomes are just coming on the market, costs of those

are not known. Consider, though, that a current hybrid SUV vehicle is comparable in cost to that of hybridizing a motorhome chassis! Spending that money on an SUV that can also be driven around town for everyday purposes seems like a better investment than on a motorhome system that will not be driven daily.

- The only added cost is the difference of a hybrid SUV over a non-hybrid SUV. Those costs are shrinking every day. With the savings in

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motorhome fuel consumption provided by the HDP, owners can recuperate those costs through fuel savings. Drive 20k miles a year and save up to $500 at current fuel costs. Use the fuel costs of last year, and you recoup $1,000 per year through fuel savings! Not chump change.

Why not just buy a hybrid motorhome? - Hybrid motorhomes are not currently available. - Cost. See above

Is the HDP feasible using current technology? What about the future? - Hybrid-electric vehicles that provide up to 90 hp of electric-only

propulsion are currently available, with larger units announced. o Ford Escape Hybrid

o GMC Yukon Hybrid

- Not just for SUVs! Hybrid sedans, like the upcoming Ford Fusion, can also be used as HDPs.

- Ford has developed a Plug-In Hybrid Escape prototype. This vehicle would provide additional savings to motorhome owners with the Li-Ion high capacity batteries and use of plug-in recharging.

Why can’t I go out and buy an HDP? Won’t this approach burn up a hybrid electrical system? - The main reason is the current state of the economy. - We’re working to secure a development partner and bring this

technology to market. - The HDP can be programmed to limit the amount of energy provided,

thus making the system self protecting. There would be no more danger to the electrical system than when driving the HDP as a normal vehicle.

Want additional information? - Steve Shepard Jr., steve.shepard@ua.edu, (205) 348-0048

- Steve Shepard Sr., drshep1@bellsouth.net, (662) 323-4001

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