Hi Schwa:

___Exactly! There are some of the original EV-1 design team working on the BAS for GM supposedly? If you are an EV’er in an ICE world, you have two choices with let off of the accelerator. Regen or ICE-Off. Since it is a belt driven system, you are probably not going to run a high current - Regen mode from 65 mph so what does that leave? A possible FAS! If you want huge FE numbers per the EPA or real world, you FAS from any speed and your numbers scream by any and all hybrids immediately no matter what the hybrid is capable of today! The Hybrid manufacturers have not figured this out yet but they will get there soon enough Add in a very slow speed EV, ICE-Off on any accelerator pedal let off, Regen below 20 mph with any brake pedal application, and a small amount of assist with a hard accelerator pedal application (not light) and you have the makings of a FE monster the likes Toyota and Honda could only have imagined for thousands of $’s less.

___Possible issues … ICE off at speed may not be legal even though it is designed into today’s Insight’s and HCH’s (19 and below), and AH’s (12 mph and below). What kind of start up torque is available with a BAS spinning at some high RPM during a high speed (> 60 mph) FAS to spin up the ICE for restart again? I know a way around this as I do it every day but I am not sure about the design costs? How much torque can that smallish MGSet apply at 0 - very low RPM (1,500 RPM maybe) to that belt without tearing it to shreds? Can the BAS be isolated from the ICE and propel through the tranny directly? Spinning over the ICE in a fuel cut is Honda’s mistake with the 06 HCH-II. Only 4 that I can think of off-hand and I am sure there are a hundred others?

___Wolfman, there is no need to change the laws of physics as that is impossible. How do you think I can kill your Escape HEV’s FE in a simple P/U truck or non-hybrid sedan? Am I breaking the laws of physics or am I bending the rules with hybrid like behavior in a non-hybrid? There is only a need to apply hybrid like technology smartly and the FE will speak for itself. GM has a very inexpensive key with BAS just as every other manufacturer does. The question will be if the engineers are allowed to use that key to provide maximum FE that we are all used to or are they going to play games like they did with the Silverado non-hybrid - hybrid?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net