I've found an article about it, translated by Google (apparently not quite well). And copy-paste.
"Estonians built the hybrid car
The project, if successful, would currently own in the automotive industry.
Thirty years ago, a car designed by the engineer Roman Bertelov Estonian Soviet Union's first functioning electricity and gasoline hybrid car equipped with ET-800 Electra, which had almost turned serial production of the giant car plant built in Estonia.
Bertelov (69) Estonia has the most legendary automotive engineers who have designed a race car-five Estonia, Ireland's first and only klaasplastikkabiiniga a small truck, a famous Soviet-era bread container trucks, hydraulic truck Tail lifts, and former acquaintances leivarestid food stores.
"When the hybrid car project would have been approved, could be in Riga RAF similar to a car factory in the marsruuttaksodena Sailed made electric cars," says the country now retired, and the German representation of milking Bertelov.
According Bertelovi made a proposal to build a hybrid car in Moscow-Union scientific research institute of electrical electric car project Piterski Vadim, who had read the article Bertelovi plastic bodied truck-union magazine Izobretatelji Ratsionalisator. ETKVL's engineering department worked Autobaas Bertelov was constructed of a lightweight fiberglass cab and a small truck -furgooniga ET-600, which was their easiness of construction of a hybrid car ainusobilik the vehicle throughout the Soviet Union. ET-600 is the nearest competitor UAZ curb weight of 450 was almost twice as high.
According Bertelovi Piterski wanted to build a hybrid car with unlimited mileage, a concept that was totally new to him as well autoinsenerile irresistible. So far, the tests were to create an electric car in the Soviet Union failed because sõidukilometraazh cars was limited due to the batteries. In addition, the battery had to be a hybrid gasoline engine, but not normal, but püsirezhiimil fueled gas emissions to ensure a clean and catalyst-equipped with afterburner.
Hybrid outperformed the Russian car industry.
Tallinn consider Piterski Bertelovi said it was the most appropriate place to build such a car. "Piterski promised as much money as I can reasonably ask of the project, if successful, he would have liked me to see electric cars Spetsiaalkonstrueerimisbüroo and pilot plant at the head of which we have developed together in Tallinn," recalls Bertelov.
ET-800 Electra was a test copy of the eight digits of modern plastic bodied minibus, which used ZAZ 966 will be powered by gasoline engine and the electric tram. Bertelov constructed the body and the chassis, and built an extremely complex Piterski several new inventions containing electrical apparatus.
The large 24-volt nickel-cadmium battery secured power at 60 km / h to pass through the 80-kilometer route. If the road had to drive more than 60 km / h and the batteries began to discharge, launched a gasoline engine, which is also in the nature of the battery pack weighs 400 kilos.
Elektra acceleration was Bertelovi According overwhelming. "The pedal was pressed with care, because the mainstream-type DC electric motor has a maximum torque of most minimal rotations, ie start-up," explains the designer. In the same vein, for example, working autostarter and tram engine. "First start Elektraga downright shocked me, despite my varbavajutusele gingerly ducked as a ball machine standstill and left drive wheels on asphalt, black rubber tracks," he recalls. For normal driving the car control system was built completely around. Car willing to Lenin's jubilee.
Obtaining permission to build a hybrid car was very difficult, because a large part of ETKVL's directors considered that they do not have a thing to deal with the production of hybrid cars and the company is the main task of the rural population and the supply of food commodities. Finally, however, remained ETKVL's leadership dish, because a hybrid car project funds and materials came from Moscow.
The design and construction costs of the test specimens were given 76,000 rubles, which Bertelovi said it was at that time on the huge build-for example, Moskvitsh paid 5,300 rubles.
The hybrid car in Moscow, and the completion of the final deadline was set for the display of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lenin (April 22, 1970). Driving time was 14 months for the construction of a machine ready for the deadline"Lenin's birthday celebrations during the ESSR drove then-chairman of the Council of Ministers at the request of Valter Klauson Elektraga him and Electrical Engineering of the Ministry of the Minister Aleksei Antonovit with a retinue of Moscow on Arbat," rääkib Bertelov. The car was carrying a heavy burden both for the first time since four of the Moscow boss had said that at least six normaalinimese Bertelovi weight. "I remember humming behind approving the tone that the light signals are ignited green light, and I momentarily left far behind in Moscow, even well-known fast-drivers of taxis," he recalls. Bertelovi said the car had a driving test and received the approval of the occupants.
All-Union Scientific Research Institute for electrical machinery was willing to continue its cooperation with the Minister Antonov was ready to apply for government money. The project drew a hyphen after Klauson, who claimed that the electric car development center in Estonia can not be created because there is not freedom of labor and the other republics of labor force does not meet the interests of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.Elektra shipped outside Moscow Institute closed territory, where the soldiers pushed through the gate of the machine, because no one other than Bertelovi did not know how to drive.
The minister wishes to Antonov announced Elektral comprehensive road driving tests. "The tests lasted a little over a month and are going even further, but the car would not have revealed shortcomings in terms of electricity," says Bertelov. The main problem was the low efficiency of the battery, which tended to overheating.
Elektra has led to the failure of the ET-600 truck plastikkabiiniga cease production, which in four years, 35 cars were built.
Hybrid sapikast and tram
Elektra body structure and propulsion system of the Soviet Union was a revolutionary automotive industry.
The hybrid car was carrying monotüüp terastorusõrestikuga reinforced fiberglass-bodied, flowing lines, and at that time the future-looking fashion minibus.Car windscreen model of the commissioning of the Moscow Classified number Mosavtosteklo factory that made submarines illuminator. Film with triplex glass was paid 4,000 rubles, or Moskvitsh retail price.
Elektral was at the rear of a transverse engine with 220 ZAZ 966-volt synchronous generator with a nominal power of 32 kW. The engine was pöörderegulaator that kept the revs 2800 r / min, and the catalyst-järelpõleti, which ensured the purity of exhaust gases. The generator-rectifier converter, the output of which was a 24-volt DC current.
Rear wheels ran 28 kW 24-volts DC electric motor. The front seat is located between the 24-volt nickel-kadmium battery.
Cars had to manage a normal car wheel, brake and accelerator. "Transmission" of three positions: neutral, forward and reverse. The dashboard was a normal speedometer, tachometer, pressure gauge, voltmeter and ammeter."
