Auxiliary electric rear-wheel-drive

This is purely a performance-oriented modification. I am not here interested in improving fuel economy or reducing emissions. The motor-vehicle problem is in any event one of spatial and economic systemics, not one of automotive technology: if you're looking at electric motors in cars for clean transport you're on the wrong mode of transport in a wrong-shaped city.

Be that, however, as it may. The older cars out there these days, the ones ripe for the taking of outrageous mechanical liberties, tend to be front-wheel-driven. They have distinct traction advantages as long as they are as anaemically powered as originally intended. As one applies effort, cleverness, manaical laughter, and cash, however, one soon reaches a point of equity, after which rear-wheel-drive emerges as preferable. For instance, I need a mere 92bhp to light my Golf MkI's nearside front tyre, even though it is a stickyish Yokohama, and then to stand still in billowing pea soup.

Imagine, then, the dismay of anyone trying to put 492bhp, not to mention 892bhp, through the front wheels.

Now, it is known that an electric motor, suitably breathed-upon, can produce the sort of torque delivery to put all that right, when coupled to the rear wheels. The effect is particularly remarkable when the motor is fed by banks of goofium-phlogiston batteries, which, as we all know, have negative mass. But I digress. Let me proceed to the idea.

There is an electric motor powering the rear wheels of a front-wheel-driven car. I see a motor and co-axial differential mounted to a typical torsion beam set-up and driving the rear wheels by chains; there are lots of possible arrangements. I also see this drive incorporating a free-wheel, so that the wheels might readily overrrun the motor at speed, when the advantages of rear-wheel-drive are less pronounced.

There is some sort of augmented or additional alternator, be it in place of the usual alternator, attached to the front differential, or whatever. There are some batteries or capacitors, whose capacity to provide "bonus" power is carefully considered against their consequences in weight.

There is obviously some sort of motor controller, but here's the thing. It is not referenced to the throttle pedal but to the speedometer drive and to the front suspension. The electric motor runs faster as the front wheels turn faster, and receives more current as the front wheels are unloaded. That way, electric drive is added when drive to the rear wheels is needed, that is, when rapid initial acceleration results in the transfer of weight from the front to the rear wheels.

There it is: a use for all those tatty front-drive cars that cannot be given away.