The subject has come up on overall efficiency of the E-10. A Solectria advertisment puts the Watt-hr / mile at 220, when driving at 45 mph. I will post an efficiency, when I can do a test on my E-10.
The following 2 images are of the differentials of an E-10 EV abd an E-10 ICE. They appear to be the same.
EV
ICE
In the pictures of the E-10, note that the rear axel has been rotated 180 degrees, so the area formally occupied by the driveshaft is now available for a battery box.
The advantages of rotating the rear axle are 1). eliminating the transmission and long driveshaft. 2). Optimal placement of the rear battery box, central to the vehicle. And, no driveshaft to interrupt the battery box. Dis-advantages are 1). much shorter drive shaft, which, when going over bumps, swings through a greater angular movement. And 2). the enclosure for the drive belts and pulleys, protrudes downward. The amount it sticks down is a compromise between the driven pulley diameter and the prudent angle of the universal joints. There is also the engineering overhead of the design and fabrication of the drive. I have to believe that the overall efficiency of this drive, compared to keeping the transmission, is better. I can not address the long term reliability of the design.
I was told by some Solectria Ex's, to carry an extra belt. It must be an area of under design.
More to come in the area of the design of the drive pulleys and enclosure.