Alternative power sources for cars

[UZZ30]

Over the last couple of years ive notice lots of hype about those hydrogen fuel cell powered cars. The idea works quite well and only produces water as waste product. But the system is only powering an electric motor to power the car........ Like honestly would you ever substitute an awesome turbo or v8 petrol engine for a boring electic motor?

Really i dont see petrol cars not being used theres just so many of them and people want to hear/modify them ! I suppose chemistry scientists of some sort will just have too come up with similar fuel that works just as good as oil from the ground. They have made a start Biodiesel and bioethanol but they aren't perfect.

It will be quite interesting to see what comes out of this petrol/oil source problem in the future.

Now back to electric cars would you ever take one over a nice petrol engine such as a 2jz-gte or 1uz-fe? It would be boring to say the least..

petrol all the way for me. I guess thats due to my interest in cars. Im sure you will see many non-sporty-car people in 100% electric vehicals in the future though.

[Jebus]

Performance electric cars are cool. No idea what theyd drive like, but they are VERY fast and make alot of torque. It wont be all bad.

[UZZ30]

Yeah they do make alot of torque. Some can be quite fast for what they are could be worse but the main loss is no v8 sound or turbo sound. etc or no boost gauge for turbo car fans!

[no_8wire]

For some performance is more important than rice...eg what it sounds like...

Think about it...an electric whine wont sound too different to a high reving na..

[Emperor]

Wouldn't mind that hydrogen BMW V12(?) in my Skyline

[Adamal]

Stupid fuel companies keep putting an end to alternate fuels whenever they pop up

I read that people involved with the whole hydrogen as an alternate fuel thing always seem to loose interest in it or disappear....

[20v_rollaboy]

How long can those electric cars go before their batteries go flat??

Dont they have to be plugger into sumthing to charge them up?

And I would hate to be in a traffic jam, going up north during the holidays, and your batteries go flat on the motorway

And also I tend to fall asleep driving auto cars, and i doubt that these would be manual. There has to be more than just stop and go

[BlakJak]

Wow for car enthusiasts some people are pretty ignorant

Alternative-fuel powered cars are typically one of:

* Electric - 100% battery powered. Would have to be charged via mains. Short ranged and not very big or powerful - and not very common.

* Hybrid. Small petrol engine (say 1500cc) augments a couple of electric motors driven by battery. Typically a 400V system. These are designed to be very efficient with energy - energy lost by braking, for example, is captured and used to help keep the batteries charged.

* Hydrogen. Still very much in 'test' phase but being trialed in places like California. Powered by Hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen gained by electrolisis (sp) which seperates the Hydrogen and Oxygen components of Water. The catch with Hydrogen is the need to store it under pressure, and transport is awkward. Still pretty new.

Fact is, we _are_ going to run out of oil, and we _will_ get fscked over by it. We can use alternate fuels for some things - but not very easily, for example, in aviation. And don't forget the petroleum products required for the manufacture of plastics, etc. Scary when you start thinking about it really.

I say bring on alternative-fuels... !

[Disclaimer: this is all off the top of my head and open to correction.. heh]

[BlakJak]

PS: Those judging non-petrol cars based on their sound are being incredibly superficial.

PPS: Don't knock it untill you've tried it. Automotive technology is going to change, and despite the fact that humans generally are averse to change, we need to adapt... so dont be close minded.

If I ever have enough money to buy a car new, i'll be seriously looking at a Hybrid such as the Prius or similar.. Toyota are bringing out a whole range of Hybrid vehicles... good shyte.. !

[Punter]

Wow for car enthusiasts some people are pretty ignorant

Yea, what he said

Anyway, the one big problem I see with hydrogen powered cars is finding a sustainable and viable source of hydrogen, the only viable source now is as a bi-product (or co-product if you a marketing type person) of refining crude oil.

Untill that changes I don't really see it as a true "alternitive" fuel source.

[cespenar]

Wow for car enthusiasts some people are pretty ignorant

Yea, what he said

Anyway, the one big problem I see with hydrogen powered cars is finding a sustainable and viable source of hydrogen, the only viable source now is as a bi-product (or co-product if you a marketing type person) of refining crude oil.

Untill that changes I don't really see it as a true "alternitive" fuel source.

What are you on about they get hydrogen by passing electricity through water...theres lots of water...and if you get the electricity to do this from a wind turbine then you have 100% renewable energy

[BlakJak]

Heard of 'the cost of energy conversion' ?

Turning Wind -> Mains Electricity -> Power for Electrolysis isnt very efficient.
You lose energy in the process.. it aint perfect.

(Takes a lot of wind farms to put much power into the grid!)


The risks on Hydrogen are around its storage and transportation, mainly.
As technology improves it'll become more practical.

[cespenar]

Sorry I shouldn't have put 100% renewable, I know it's not that efficient yet but it can only get better as technologies improve - as you say. Its too bad hydrogen is so dangerous

[Punter]

What are you on about they get hydrogen by passing electricity through water...theres lots of water...and if you get the electricity to do this from a wind turbine then you have 100% renewable energy

Please note I used the word viable

You loose so much energy using electricity to extract hydrogen from water, that you would be better off to use that power for an electric motor.

My solution,

Build lots of nuclear power stations
Build lots of electric cars
Pay NASA to launch all the radioactive waste into space*.

Problem solved

*Alternitivly buy a poor African country and put it there, in a big pile
Disclamer: I know that won't actually work

[riddles]

I caught the end of something the other night where they are making biodegradeable plastic product from wheat. They seemed quite pleased with the increasing price of oil because it made their product more and more likely to be chosen on price.

[BlakJak]

riddles: you got it in a nutshell.

The Oil Industry is controlling prices tightly, partially because their option is the 'economical' one at the moment.

Only as people become more aware of the 'other' costs of oil related products, that perspective is changing.

All too slowly, IMHO

[Mr Revhead]

hydrogen wont work. well not a system that gets it from water.

the sound of hybrid cars.... safety issue! you cant hear the things coming!!

also im not convinced we will run out as soon as ppl are saying

[NA Drifter]

Go the waste vegetable oil! been there and done that... emmm smell good

All i need now is to get my own diesel powered engine car to convert it. I done my 1st one on a "project" car own by someone else..

[CozmoNz]

hydrogen wont work. well not a system that gets it from water.

the sound of hybrid cars.... safety issue! you cant hear the things coming!!

also im not convinced we will run out as soon as ppl are saying

i think we are trying to take care of the future human race.... not just our own asses...

[BlakJak]

hydrogen wont work. well not a system that gets it from water.

the sound of hybrid cars.... safety issue! you cant hear the things coming!!

also im not convinced we will run out as soon as ppl are saying

i think we are trying to take care of the future human race.... not just our own asses...

Yes, exactly. Well done CozmoNz.

I'm not worried that we'll run out of oil in the next 50 years.

I'm worried that we'll run out of oil. <-- thats a fullstop...

The sound bit is an interesting case, however, could always install a noisemaker that goes 'woooosh'....