Jan 26, 2022

1980 Briggs & Stratton Gasoline/Electric Hybrid Concept

Updated: Sep 26, 2022

Briggs & Stratton is best known for small engines used on lawnmowers to washing machines. And it's not just any car, but a hybrid built in 1980, no less. The simple idea behind the Briggs & Stratton Hybrid concept car was essentially this: if two heads are better than one, why not a car with two power sources? This unique gasoline / electric hybrid is "the best of both worlds." The Briggs & Stratton hybrid concept car was not entirely new like many modern automotive ideas. Electrical power had flourished in the early years of "the automobile" before it was lost to the internal combustion engine, which was noisy and emitted noxious fumes. Still, it provided much more power for its size and weight than any battery or electric motor.

The body is vaguely reminiscent of Dodge Omni 024, especially from the rear. The doors and the windshield come from a Volkswagen Scirocco. But that's not what you notice first! The car has six wheels. The two rear-most wheels only support the frame carrying the 12 batteries of 6 volts each. This was probably normal, considering the platform came from a six-wheeled delivery vehicle, the Marathon C360, made by Marathon Electric, a Quebec company. The hybrid setup was parallel, meaning the hybrid could run only on electricity, only gas, and a mixture of the two.

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