Viking 23

Electric Reformulated Gasoline Hybrid Car

Goal

To demonstrate that a purpose designed and built electric hybrid vehicle will have adequate range, responsiveness and safety while providing low emissions.

Viking 23 – A solar electric hybrid vehicle was completed in August 1994. This vehicle's chassis and body were constructed from carbon fiber. The vehicle was designed to keep its batteries charged through the solar cells mounted on its body. The solar array should have produced approximately 700 watts of power. However, due to cell damage and problems with cell leads it has never been a viable source of power for the battery instead a battery charger is used to charge the batteries. The Honda 900 cc water-cooled motorcycle was converted to run on either methane or gasoline. Both fuel systems were fuel injected through programmable computers and drove the rear wheels. Viking 23 electric drive system utilized two Unique Mobility brushless D.C. motors driving the front wheels through a gearbox.. The car in this configuration was third in the 1996 American Tour de Sol.

In 1998 Viking 23 was converted to run on reformulated gasoline instead of CNG and a Daihatsu 993 cc, 3 cylinder fuel injected single overhead cam engine replaced the Honda. It was entered in the 1998 American Tour de Sol which ran from New York to Washington D.C. It won its class for best fuel efficiency and the most tour miles.

Awards

1988 – American Tour de Sol:
First Place DOE Hybrid Class
Most Efficient Hybrid

Sponsors 1992-1996

Washington State Dept. of Ecology & Energy, Bonneville Power Authority, Puget Power and Light Co. Cascade Natural Gas, Heath Tecna, Fiberite, Rocky Mountain Institute

Vehicle Specifications - 1998 American Tour de Sol

Body: Carbon fiber with solar array upper panels
Chassis: Carbon fiber monocoque with aluminum or steel reinforcements at mounting points.
Batteries: 11 kW hours of SAFT NiCad batteries charged by either the solar cells or household current.
I.C. Engine: Daihatsu, 993cc, 3 cylinder fuel injected single overhead cam, fueled by reformulated gasoline.
Electric Motor: Two Unique Mobility brushless D.C. motors driving the front wheels through a gearbox.
Range: 70 miles in zero emission mode at city speeds and approximately 400 miles at highway speeds.