Goodbye combustion engine

[SlipBall]

Originally Posted by Osprey

It says "end of the combustion engine". I assume this is a FCV, isn't the hold up on a FC that platinum is too expensive? How has that changed?

I just really became aware that production was close at hand. I really don't know any of the technology hurdles, other than what was written in the links. Hydrogen power seems to be in the near future of personal vehicles propulsion though. I have read that these modular vehicles can be produced very cheaply. That's why you see third world applications being mentioned.

[CWMV]

Interesting indeed.

[Osprey]

Originally Posted by SlipBall

I just really became aware that production was close at hand. I really don't know any of the technology hurdles, other than what was written in the links. Hydrogen power seems to be in the near future of personal vehicles propulsion though. I have read that these modular vehicles can be produced very cheaply. That's why you see third world applications being mentioned.

There's certainly no shortage of Hydrogen, but the H2 Fuel Cell uses platinum as a catalyst on the anode, and that's pricey.


EDIT: I had a quick read, there are loads of FC types so I guess there's a viable solution to this then.

[ATAG_MajorBorris]

The vehicle is not the hard part, building a new fuel distribution system and not being crushed by the most powerful corporations in the world will be true challenge.

I have been a fan of these alternitives for many years, I hope we see them soon!

[SlipBall]

Originally Posted by ATAG_MajorBorris

The vehicle is not the hard part, building a new fuel distribution system and not being crushed by the most powerful corporations in the world will be true challenge.

I have been a fan of these alternitives for many years, I hope we see them soon!

From what I read they are thinking to leave the current fueling infrastructure. Only that you pull in for fuel and they remove and replace the fuel cell in minutes. A plug and play unit that is universal for the different makes of cars...naturally this is the end desire to have in place, but is years away

[TomcatViP]

Well, we never achieved anything like a standardization in the IT hardware. I don't see it happening in the car industry for plug and play (P&P) fuel cell units.

It's a great idea, but Germans will have their own format, French another (with a strange and ugly multi-faceted design), UK will require manufacturer to install it upside down with asymetric design and Chinese will have their own that will fell apart after a few miles.

So, P&P ? humm at least if you don't go too far from your home.

Regarding the bright and orange mushrooms that some fears to multiply on our highway, metallic foams started to appear 3 to 5 years ago as a container for the H2. they look promising in case of crash collisions for safety concerns.

EDIT: Great Bike !

[Blackdog_kt]

I think it's brilliant if they pull it off. If it becomes widespread it will also be cheap, plus it will probably result in gasoline prices going down due to competition, instead of constantly rising due to increasing demand and decreasing reserves.

I don't get why car/motorbike enthusiasts are so against this and i'll explain why. The vast majority of drivers are not enthusiasts, they are using a vehicle in a practical fashion. They don't care about the nice throaty sound, they care about cheap operating and maintenance costs.

The thing is, if all these guys get those cheap to run cars on renewable energy, both them and the enthusiasts benefit.

-Less pollution, so less restrictions on the remaining minority of internal combustion powered vehicles.

-Lower fuel prices and better ICE technology in terms of performance vs consumption, due to competition.

-Combine the previous two and you get potentially bigger engines on your ICE vehicle.

etc etc

The way i see it, if this thing goes forward (and i really hope it does), people will be able to run an H2 powered family car for their day to day business at very low operating cost and then use some of the leftover cash to get something fun for the weekends.

At least that's what i would do if i was a family man and the technology was available, plus i wouldn't have to pay 1.7 Euros per liter of gas every time i wanted to go on a ride with my motorbike.

At the current prices i need 18 euros per 200km (and that's a 650cc motorbike we're talking about, imagine a car), so yeah, bring on the H2 fuel cell technology and get them scared a bit, then we can all enjoy a mix of cheap transportation and vehicles with character. Why sabotage this and shoot ourselves in the foot?

For me it's a question of practicality, economy, environment (yes, it's a practical issue as well if it pertains to my health) and worldwide supply/demand issues, not if the hippies like it or not. Why cut off my nose to spite my face?

[WTE_Galway]

Some electric vehicles are claimed to give BETTER performance than the gas equivalent:



http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...-on-the-snake/

http://www.core77.com/blog/transport...ross_21599.asp

On the test track, the RedShift is four seconds faster on a 1:10 lap than the KTM 250, a comparable gas-powered bike ... Where a gas-powered bike can generate 40 horsepower at its peak, the RedShift "can put down 40 horsepower anywhere."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3robHRHhNHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRllNmeRbRI

[Wolf_Rider]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

I think it's brilliant if they pull it off. If it becomes widespread it will also be cheap, plus it will probably result in gasoline prices going down due to competition, instead of constantly rising due to increasing demand and decreasing reserves.

I don't get why car/motorbike enthusiasts are so against this and i'll explain why. The vast majority of drivers are not enthusiasts, they are using a vehicle in a practical fashion. They don't care about the nice throaty sound, they care about cheap operating and maintenance costs.

The thing is, if all these guys get those cheap to run cars on renewable energy, both them and the enthusiasts benefit.

-Less pollution, so less restrictions on the remaining minority of internal combustion powered vehicles.

-Lower fuel prices and better ICE technology in terms of performance vs consumption, due to competition.

-Combine the previous two and you get potentially bigger engines on your ICE vehicle.

etc etc

The way i see it, if this thing goes forward (and i really hope it does), people will be able to run an H2 powered family car for their day to day business at very low operating cost and then use some of the leftover cash to get something fun for the weekends.

At least that's what i would do if i was a family man and the technology was available, plus i wouldn't have to pay 1.7 Euros per liter of gas every time i wanted to go on a ride with my motorbike.

At the current prices i need 18 euros per 200km (and that's a 650cc motorbike we're talking about, imagine a car), so yeah, bring on the H2 fuel cell technology and get them scared a bit, then we can all enjoy a mix of cheap transportation and vehicles with character. Why sabotage this and shoot ourselves in the foot?

For me it's a question of practicality, economy, environment (yes, it's a practical issue as well if it pertains to my health) and worldwide supply/demand issues, not if the hippies like it or not. Why cut off my nose to spite my face?

They won't allow hydrogen fuel until "they" control all the water though... and what they really need to be doing, with regard to electric vehicles, is apply Tesla technology efectively

[Osprey]

Originally Posted by TomcatViP

Regarding the bright and orange mushrooms that some fears to multiply on our highway, metallic foams started to appear 3 to 5 years ago as a container for the H2. they look promising in case of crash collisions for safety concerns.

This. If AofA knew anything other than to call people who support this progress "hippy green socialists" then he might understand some of the tech behind it. If we adopted this attitude with computers we wouldn't be talking online about it now, I would doubt AofA has such a resistive attitude to a new CPU.....

Anyway, even with compressed tank Hydrogen dissipates faster than any other fuel so if there ever were a puncture to a tank and the fuel leaking out I'd rather it be Hydrogen than petrol. Put a spark to either and there's trouble.