Robert Q. Riley has finished designing and building his XR3 diesel hybrid prototype and now says, "Its your turn!". Yes, with a few simple tools and plans purchased from Mr. Riley, you too can (eventually) cruise the highways in your very own XR3. Engineered to travel 40 miles with lithium ion batteries powering the back wheel before switching on the Kubota diesel engine that power the fronts, the XR3 is said by its maker to get 225 mpg. The beauty of a DIY project like this is that you can do a lot of tweaking. That diesel motor could just as easily be made to run on WVO or some other biofuel. Of course, you could forgo the combustion engine (and tractor sound) altogether and add more batteries. Likewise, you can save a big chunk of the initial cost and only install the diesel.

If the thought of doing all that fiberglass work and metal fabrication seems a little daunting for your mechanical skill level, we have good news for you. During a recent interview on EVcast, the designer/engineer let slip that RQR Enterprises is now working with a kit car company to supply the some of the more difficult bits to save you time and a lot of swearing effort. Of course, you'll still have to add lots of parts yourself but if it came completely assembled you'd miss out on that extra bit of pride that comes from completing a project of this type. Mr. Riley estimates it may cost upwards of $25,000 to build the whole kit and kaboodle on your own. Hit the jump for video of the XR3 on the streets.





[Source: Robert Q. Riley Enterprises]

Here's an update for all of you who read AutoblogGreen with grease-covered hands: the plans for the XR-3, the hybrid (or PHEV) kit car from Robert Q. Riley, are now available. For just $170, you could receive:

15 or more D-size (24 x 36 inch) drawing sheets and a construction/technical manual of approximately 120-150 pages with approximately 150 photos and illustrations.
The XR-3 Deluxe Plans Package is priced at $200. The Deluxe version includes everything from the Standard version plus a CD-ROM and DVD. The CD-ROM will include electronic 2D CAD files (SolidWorks e-Drawing files and dxf files), 3D models in SolidWorks e-Drawing formats, links to free viewers, and a construction manual set up to run in a web browser with click-to-enlarge color photos, video clips, iges files for CNC machining, and more. The DVD will have 1 to 1-1/2 hours of video of the vehicle being built.

Sound like fun? You can get a better idea of what could be in your future by seeing (on Windows only) how the Front Wheel and Knuckle Assembly model comes together. The XR-3, as you can see above and in the gallery below, is a three-wheeled vehicle. Riley's website says the builder has great flexibility in choosing the powertrain, but the prototype's front wheels are powered by an ICE while the one back wheel is electric. According to Riley:

Proper phase-in between the two power systems is handled by a simple throttle mechanism, and a dash-mounted switch to select between ICE power, electric power, and dual power modes. In the dual power mode, the XR-3 will have lots of burst power for outstanding acceleration. If you were to use this acceleration potential to its fullest, fuel economy would be reduced to something on the order of 150 mpg over a 70 mile trip. Fuel economy will vary according the particular components chosen for the power system, and how heavy you are on the throttle pedal.

Think you've got what it takes to build-your-own? There's nothing to stop you now.

[Source: XR-3 Hybrid website via Jalopnik]