The future.......

[AppleSei]

I am currently doing a report on fuels of a particular mode of transport, and comment on the future of the current fuels it uses.

I was wondering what everyones opinions was on what they see happening to petrol, diesel and LPG powered cars and what the future holds for the car industry.

P.S i am doing planes so i wont be using any of your comments

 

[custard]

thought this was going to be about orange

for me lpg is the only real alternative at the moment for real world driving.electric cars will need battery technology to improve a fair bit to become viable.

 

[Oldschool]

I think that we will see in the future bio fuels rather than any more advanced technology. This would suit politicians who might not need to pay subsidies to farmers and defuses the clash of interest with different lobbies.
I wouldn't be surprised if the fuel cell after initial market shares dies a slow and silent death.

 

[AppleSei]

It is a definately an alternative LPG but i would see it only as a short term fix for something different

The more vehicles that are LPG the more they will charge for it, currently it is frozen the price for gas, but what about in 5, 10 years? it will become as costly as petrol.

 

[Trancendental]

I've seen radio controlled cars that drive at 60 mph,
I've heard of Go-Karts that can do 50 mph,

what did they both share in common?

Battery Powered.

How can they go so fast?

They weigh fook all.



Start making cars and trucks out of super light materials and use Batteries. Might have to get all the more solid vehicles off the road as it wouldnt be fair in a crash.

Unless of course someone knows something about batteries and how there is not enough of them to last 10yrs. But I know someone will one day complain about the lack of Super Light materials and then the whole new source of energy begins again

I don't mind what they decide... as long as when I put my foot down it makes me giggle like a girl and don't cause people to die instantly.

 

[custard]

yup,same as diesel. i remember when diesel was used by a select few and the pumps were tucked round the side of the petrol stations.
diesel was idrt cheap but as deisel technology improved and its popularity the price increased.

 

[The Negotiator]

We can't rely on fuel cell tech until we have renewable sources to split H2O, all fuel cell tech is is a way to store energy, like say a battery, just with a much higher.....

Hang on, the only proper reply I would write on this matter would take a 10,000+ word report.

 

[christopher watson]

air powered cars are the future, the cars run on compressed air that can be filled up by the air machine at a petrol station

 

[Alex]

Internal combustion engines will be around for a lot longer I think, the fuel source will adapt, the engines will become more efficient (example the hemmi engin, wankle engine). There is more than just oil in petrol.

 

[HP]

I've seen radio controlled cars that drive at 60 mph,
I've heard of Go-Karts that can do 50 mph,

what did they both share in common?

Battery Powered.

How can they go so fast?

They weigh fook all.....

ah, but enough batteries to drive a car at a respectable pace for a respectable distance are sodding heavy.

And I bloody well want to do 90mph, ok?

 

[Liam]

http://www.lexus.com/models/rx_hybrid/index.html

Liam

 

[HP]

They ain't as hot as the makers want you to believe, according to the real world road tests. Better off with a Dirty DDDDiesel.

 

[Hellcat]

Who wants dirty dino diesel when you can run on Tesco Value rape seed vegetable oil? Completly carbon neutral since the carbon dioxide given out is the same carbon dioxide taken in by the plants while growing.

Sustainable fuel is already available - If you can invest money in a farm with plenty of land for growing rape seed then get it done.

 

[AppleSei]

Diesel is the same as petrol, its going to run out some day.

As for cooking oil, a good idea, but like LPG the government will surely work out this scheme and put a charge on the barrels, it currently is already at
22p a barrell

 

[The Negotiator]

As Hellcat said, diesel can be fully synthesised, petrol can't, yet.

 

[sumplug]

i suggest you look up about the sterling engine ford developed back in the
1950's.it could run on a multitude of fuels.very clever engine.
oil will run out in about30-50yrs,so an altenative needs developing now.batteries are not the future.they are not bio degradable,are heavy,and power for their weight is rubbish.hydrogen is a good possibilty.already being used by a few prototypes on the road around germany.rape seed seems logical.cheap and easy to grow,engines run clean on it,no negative points.
what about a detrol engine? they are already working on a diesel/petrol hybrid engine.it has a higher compression then a petrol but lower then a diesel.it will use a compressed ignition system to burn the very clean fuel.
car engines should follow the aero industry.the fuel/air mix is very lean.it is heated to a high temp in a pre chamber,then rammed into the cylinders for ignition.on a car engine,50 - 1 ratio of air to fuel would work.this would give a car that averages 50mpg now about 150mpg!!
a small petrol or rape seed engine run like this attached to an electric motor would make an excellent power unit.
for the internal combustion engine to survive,it needs to evolve more.the camshaft need junking.use electronic magnets instead.what this would do to an engine is be able to close cylinders down when in town for economy and back the timing for easier ignition of your adjustable fuel ratio.then by turning a knob,you could advance the timing and have a race engine.POWER AND ECONOMY!!! and no blasted cambelts.waterpump would run direct off the engine as would the ancilleries.
what about the orbital engine designed in australia and used in 50 ford fiestas for a trial? hardly any moving parts,very,very light and compact and economical.why ford never took it on is beyond me.it was so light,you could lift it out and replace it qiuckly!!