Get Ready For Next Generation Vehicles No More Gasoline

ERICKXSON · #1 10-06-2003, 12:54 PM

this will be of great use in the DR and for those that doubt HUMAN Ingenuity here is a piece of information.

Less than a week after its biggest Japanese rival touted the economic and ecological benefits of hybrids, General Motors made a case of its own on Monday: only hydrogen-fueled cars will survive in the endgame.

As the debate heats up over what the car of the future will ultimately look like, auto makers are staging a loud public relations battle to play up their strengths and justify the huge spending on developing the technologies so far.

Just last Thursday, Japan's top auto maker, Toyota Motor, invited journalists to tour the production site of its new Prius hybrid to demonstrate how cheaply they could be built by sharing an assembly line with conventional mass-market cars.

But Larry Burns, GM's vice president of research, development and planning, said zero-emission fuel cell vehicles (FCV) will eventually make gasoline-electric hybrids obsolete, rejecting Toyota's view that hybrids will remain on the road even after FCVs become affordable for the average consumer.

"The race needs to be judged with a long-term view -- the goal is to get automobiles out of the environmental debate altogether," he told Reuters in an interview.

Hybrids use electric motors and battery packs to improve fuel efficiency, adding power during acceleration and reclaiming energy when braking and coasting, but still need gasoline to run.

GM has invested about $1 billion in developing fuel cells to power electric motors in vehicles, and wants to be the first auto maker to sell a million FCVs. It hopes to commercialize FCVs by 2010 -- one of the most optimistic targets in the industry.

Japan's Toyota and Honda Motor became the first to put a saleable FCV on the road last year, but the cars are only on lease since they still cost millions of dollars to produce.

Despite the many hurdles that remain to make FCVs commercially viable -- such as a lack of infrastructure and safety standards -- Burns said weaning the industry off gasoline would become imperative as fledgling car markets like those in China and India continue to grow.

"If you look at the growth of economies in the world -- whether it be the U.S., Japan, Europe, or Brazil, Russia, India, China and Korea -- commensurate with that is the growth in energy consumption," he said.

And with many countries relying almost 100 percent on foreign oil, they would eventually want vehicles that don't o conventional gasoline combustion engines in the interim before FCVs take over.

In a week-long presentation in Tokyo with its Japanese affiliates that started on Monday, the GM group will showcase other cutting-edge technology such as truck maker Isuzu Motors' clean diesel engines and Fuji Heavy Industries' research into next-generation car batteries.

GM, which also has a capital alliance with minivehicle maker Suzuki Motor and South Korea (news - web sites)'s Daewoo Motor in Asia, plans to begin selling its first gas-electric hybrid cars next year.
endgame

Porfio_Rubirosa · #2 10-06-2003, 01:15 PM

Oh those pesky copyrights.

PhMB · #3 10-06-2003, 02:12 PM

Even better , cars that works with compressed air

http://www.mdi.lu/ French invention , and that works very well

for those interested in business , they are looking for investors to open factory all over the world , I am interested in buying one car , if one day they are sold in DR

MDI is an automotive manufacturer that uses a compressed air technology system. Judges cited MDI's work for its design innovation and vision.

Motor Development International (MDI) of Carros, France, won the best Solid Edge design from Europe, the Middle East and Africa for its entry of an engine designed for a hybrid automobile. MDI is an automotive manufacturer that uses a compressed air technology system. Judges cited MDI’s work for its design innovation and vision. See more about MDI at http://www.mdi.lu/.

Tony C · #4 10-06-2003, 02:18 PM

I am still waiting for my Hovercraft they promised me back in the 60's!

Hillbilly · #5 10-06-2003, 02:47 PM

The old Stanley STeamer was far better than most cars through the 60s...Stronger and better economy...

Would love to see that technology go forward....

Let's see, take some water, get the sun to heat it up then put it through a multi stage compressor or...maybe a quadruple valve psiton setup so that a wheel is turned...hmmmm let me think a bit on this.

HB,,,,,,,,,thinking, thinking

hollywood north · #6 10-06-2003, 02:56 PM

HillBilly-isn't that what Ballard Power is all about? Or at least similar....

pasha · #7 10-06-2003, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhMB
Even better , cars that works with compressed air

http://www.mdi.lu/ French invention , and that works very well

for those interested in business , they are looking for investors to open factory all over the world , I am interested in buying one car , if one day they are sold in DR

MDI is an automotive manufacturer that uses a compressed air technology system. Judges cited MDI's work for its design innovation and vision.

Motor Development International (MDI) of Carros, France, won the best Solid Edge design from Europe, the Middle East and Africa for its entry of an engine designed for a hybrid automobile. MDI is an automotive manufacturer that uses a compressed air technology system. Judges cited MDI’s work for its design innovation and vision. See more about MDI at http://www.mdi.lu/.

get off the ground.

With all due respect, this post raises many questions and a few extraneous points. First, the MDI web page is in French language only. Some of us can folllow it pretty well, but for vast majority of world it needs to be in English or perish. Ah, the French and their hang up over the language....kills 'em every time.

1] ...best Solid Edge design, from where? Europe, Middle East and Africa! Well, we can eliminate the ME and Africa as cutting edge anything.

2] Judges cited......what judges? Actually the smell test shows that indicates it's an EDS [Ross Perot's old outfit] engineering pimping deal -- the whole Solid Edge thing being essentially an advertisment for EDS' CAD software.

3] The French engine looks to be a paper design only. Interesting would be on where it stands in development cycle, including how it would be integrated into a whole automotive package.

4] Perhaps a better site http://www.tenlinks.com/NEWS/PR/eds/...03_contest.htm

Best, P

PS - go with fuel cells

Tony C · #8 10-06-2003, 09:32 PM

Check out this site for the Compressed Air technology engine.

http://www.theaircar.com/engine.html

Interesting idea. Still leaves lots of questions.

ERICKXSON · #9 10-07-2003, 02:31 PM

Hey guys another interesting link....

http://autos.msn.com/advice/standard...022132&src=msn

Tony C · #10 10-07-2003, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ERICKXSON
Hey guys another interesting link....

http://autos.msn.com/advice/standard...022132&src=msn

Fluff piece!

Notice how they never mentioned range or performance numbers?

I will consider a Alternative power vehicle when they reach these performance numbers:

Carry 4 people comfortably
0-60 MPH in 9.5 sec.(A/C running)
125 Top speed.
.8 g Skid Pad
Capable of towing 2,000 lbs.
300 miles before fill up or 800 miles before recharge!(without performance degradation)
FUll recharge in less than 3 hours.

All of those above numbers can be met by the majority of the Top Selling cars & Trucks in the US. Toyota Camry, Hond Accord, Ford Taurus, Ford F-150, Chevy Truck, Dodge Ram ect.
Until them ALternative fuel cars will just be a niche market vehicle.