Future of automobiles?

[gallandof]

With all this talk about electric cars in the news and the rising gas prices, I got to thinking about what the future holds for the automotive industry.

While electric cars seem nice, the batteries still have to be manufactured which has to use tons of oil themselves. Then you run into the issue of disposal of these batteries. Not to mention the up front cost, and the additional electric charges you'll see every month. So electric definitely doesn't seem to be the future unless they "green up" the process to get the batteries made and make them bio degradable.

Internal Combustion engines. Hard to start here, they've been around so long its hard to picture them leaving within my lifetime. But they aren't efficient with the energy they create, they have emissions to deal with and their source of energy is non renewable in a sense. But ICE's cant be cut out of the picture completely because Gas will still be manufactured as a byproduct wether ICE engines stay around or not, so why not keep em.

then there's hybrid cars. best of both world small ICE engine, and electric motors. They have a nice small ICE engine for minimal emissions, but the current versions are even less energy efficient then a stand alone ICE engine or a all electric motor. which until they fix this, is going to be a huge killer of hybrid cars.

Of course there is hydrogen cell powered cars, which on paper seem perfect. Completely renewable, only emissions are water and very efficient with the energy it creates. but the adoption of this style engine has been minimal so they are essentially DOA.

So whats the lesser of all these evils? where do you see automotive tech going in the next few years? Personally im hoping for hydrogen to make a big comeback.

(sorry if some of this info isnt fully correct I wrote this up in a few minutes outta boredum.)

 

[Vihzel]

I can see the very slow, gradual progression towards electric. I hope no one already counts out electric because it's still in its baby stages as compared to the auto industry as a whole. Imagine where we would be now if electric vehicles weren't killed off by the oil industry before. Thank god they're coming back.

Gas and diesel vehicles will eventually be a thing of the past considering they have to rely on an nonrenewable resource.

 

[Dark Jedi]

All I want to do is drive a hydrogen bomb lol.

I have mix views of these green cars coming out. I know they are good but there is something about the sound 429 SCJ when all 4 barrels kick in is just pure sex.

 

[ParishL31]

I feel it'll move towards hydrogen. The Honda Clarity is a hydrogen car already out. It's still in early technology but it basically is a "hydrogen hybrid" if you will. The hydrogen simply creates energy and is converted to electricity. From there on, it's basically an electric car with a battery and an electric motor. It also emits only water, which is definately one of the huge points in why I think this is the way cars will end up.

When technology advances, it's possible they may figure out a way to store the hydrogen energy and propel the car off of that and eliminate the need for a traditional battery. That then eliminates the drama of producing and disposing of the batteries.

The reason I feel the electric car isn't the future is because of how irresponsible people are. The simple fact that many people are irresponsbile run their cars until they're empty. And many times they push it too far and get stranded with an empty car. If you run a gas car till it's empty, you just walk to a gas station and get a container and fill up your car. If you run out of electricity, you're looking at a couple of hours to charge. And on top of that, how are you going to get something to contain that electrical charge with? Batteries are really heavy, I doubt an old lady could haul a battery that far. Unless they come up with a new technology of really light batteries, but until then. I'm sure many people will simply forget to plug in their electric car when they get home too, leaving next day usage impossible.

With the fast, quick, and easy expectations of America and the world, the issue of "refueling" is huge IMO. With hydrogen, there's "gas stations" that offer hydrogen, and it can be refueled in emergencies the same way as a traditional car (granted there can be transportable containers for hydrogen). I think that's a major issue of electric cars. Unless there's a breakthrough in electric technology that allows very rapid charges (I'm talking a few minutes) then this a huge flaw.

While traditional gas combustion cars obviously won't be the way of the future, I doubt they'll ever completely disappear. For motor heads, I'm sure they'll still have their fix with a traditional combustion motor for their weekend fun car or race car for the tracks or what not.

 

[Vihzel]

I actually think that perhaps there will be something new that we haven't discovered yet that will be the future of cars. Who knows what technology will be like in 2100?

 

[Bob Maxey]

Fortunately, I'll be dead when the internal combustion engine is gone and Tonka will build the vehicles that take you there.

Long live huge V8 engines, manual transmissions, leather seats, actual steel and metal cars, with and glass and wood trim; A/C, drive-ins, and hot blonds that love men with huge V8 engines.

You kids on the list do not know about what it was once like and lead sleds roamed free, drinking 50 cents per gallon high octane gasoline. I can actually remember when gas hit a buck a gallon and it meant the end of us all.

I think I need a Hemi Cuda.

By the way, have any of you ever seen this little gem:

Chrysler Turbine Car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It could burn unleaded gas, vegetable oil, kerosine, jet fuel and other combustibles way back in 1963.

 

[gallandof]

Fortunately, I'll be dead when the internal combustion engine is gone and Tonka will build the vehicles that take you there.

Long live huge V8 engines, manual transmissions, leather seats, actual steel and metal cars, with and glass and wood trim; A/C, drive-ins, and hot blonds that love men with huge V8 engines.

You kids on the list do not know about what it was once like and lead sleds roamed free, drinking 50 cents per gallon high octane gasoline. I can actually remember when gas hit a buck a gallon and it meant the end of us all.

I think I need a Hemi Cuda.

By the way, have any of you ever seen this little gem:

Chrysler Turbine Car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It could burn unleaded gas, vegetable oil, kerosine, jet fuel and other combustibles way back in 1963.

the hemi cuda *drool* that and the hurst olds 442 are my all time favorite cars. I wish I was born back then so I could have seen those beauties in their prime

 

[Bob Maxey]

the hemi cuda *drool* that and the hurst olds 442 are my all time favorite cars. I wish I was born back then so I could have seen those beauties in their prime

Driven the 'Cuda, brother owned a 442, drove that. Still droll, still great cars. Fortunately, there are many owners that do their best to keep them going.

 

[gallandof]

Driven the 'Cuda, brother owned a 442, drove that. Still droll, still great cars. Fortunately, there are many owners that do their best to keep them going.

never gotten behind the wheel of either, although ive played with my friends rebuilt AMX, and my uncles old Super bird. those little pony cars are great but i need the full muscle car experience!

 

[DaSchmarotzer]

I hope one day to see automobiles working with nuclear power, but I will probably be dead when it happens, if it does.

It's much easier to control nuclear wastes than general pollution caused by combustion. Also, since the universe is infinite (let's just say extremely big), I'm sure one day we'll find a spot for nuclear wastes.

 

[Vihzel]

I'm sure one day we'll find a spot for nuclear wastes.

Mars

 

[Usta]

Depends how far in the future we are looking.
Near future - Hybrids (electric + gas)
Medium future - Electric
Far future - you won't leave long enough to care...

 

[LxMxFxD]

Electric is the future. Hydrogen is dead and has been for quite some time. Electricity comes out to be 60c a gallon equivalent. The battery tech will get there.

People used to say LCDs were shit because "there was no way a crystal can move fast enough for full motion video. it is impossible."

Now in 2011 we have tablets in 16million color that are 3" to 10" which even Jean-Luc Picard would envy in all his mono-colored tablet envy.

Have some faith in engineering.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I hope one day to see automobiles working with nuclear power, but I will probably be dead when it happens, if it does.

It's much easier to control nuclear wastes than general pollution caused by combustion. Also, since the universe is infinite (let's just say extremely big), I'm sure one day we'll find a spot for nuclear wastes.

Imagine millions of nuclear reactions taking place every place you go. Not so easy to control the stuff if it is in the hands of tens of millions of people. Not sure if we want to revive to steam power.

We did have the Stanley Steamer, however.

Bob

 

[gallandof]

it would be great if engineers could come up with a drivetrain system that has 0 moving parts, and relies strictly on electrical current without batteries.

 

[Bob Maxey]

it would be great if engineers could come up with a drivetrain system that has 0 moving parts, and relies strictly on electrical current without batteries.

They already have but the big oil companies and most likely, Rush Limbaugh have stifled the technology. It amazingly has less than 0 moving parts.

Seriously, not sure how that would work. Somewhere, something in the drive train has to move.

Perhaps magnets and tinfoil might work?

Bob

 

[gallandof]

I was thinking essentially find someway to convert the kinetic energy of a moving car into electrical energy that essentially moves through a type of drive shaft into motors at each wheel. each motor would use some sort of magnetic motor. this then creates and issue at low speeds and at a stand still. for situations like these have some sort of battery system that can be plugged in but also uses energy stored from braking, and also the wind flow over the car (have little "scoops" [similar to a buicks portholes]with small turbine generators).

granted this design would be far from ideal and cause a lot of wasted space and weight. its a stepping stone to a better model (at least in my brain)

or we could all just put giant Wind Sails on top of our cars and use that for energy!

 

[A.Nonymous]

The main problem with hydrogen is that there's no infrastructure for it. If you could wave a magic wand and there are hydrogen stations on every street corner tomorrow, then the hydrogen car becomes viable. Right now it's a catch-22. There are no hydrogen stations because there are no hydrogen cars. There are no hydrogen cars because there are no hydrogen stations to refuel them.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I was thinking essentially find someway to convert the kinetic energy of a moving car into electrical energy that essentially moves through a type of drive shaft into motors at each wheel. each motor would use some sort of magnetic motor. this then creates and issue at low speeds and at a stand still. for situations like these have some sort of battery system that can be plugged in but also uses energy stored from braking, and also the wind flow over the car (have little "scoops" [similar to a buicks portholes]with small turbine generators).

granted this design would be far from ideal and cause a lot of wasted space and weight. its a stepping stone to a better model (at least in my brain)

or we could all just put giant Wind Sails on top of our cars and use that for energy!

I recall some bus company tried a flywheel system for power. The flywheel was spun up to speed and that provided power for (as I recall) motors on the wheels.

I love old school technology like drilling for oil, properly cracking it to produce gasoline and using that in your car. Proven and effective.

I am not an expert, but I can well imagine when we discover something new and revolutionary, it will slowly become costly and some environmentalist will launch a campaign to quash it because it does some imagined environmental damage that will also be swallowed whole by the general public.

Bob

 

[ParishL31]

The main problem with hydrogen is that there's no infrastructure for it. If you could wave a magic wand and there are hydrogen stations on every street corner tomorrow, then the hydrogen car becomes viable. Right now it's a catch-22. There are no hydrogen stations because there are no hydrogen cars. There are no hydrogen cars because there are no hydrogen stations to refuel them.

I do agree. I have read an article that said it's fairly easy to convert a normal gas station to hydrogen, so it'd be the same movement as we did a few years ago for E85. While E85 is not available everywhere, it's pretty easy to find a station in a major city that does carry it.

The same problem is for electric cars too. You need public charge stations for people traveling. And on top of that, the slow times it takes for a car to charge comes into factor. The quickest time I heard was 4 hours and that was with the premium charging kit that costs even more. Not to mention the charge station at your home costs in the thousands, then add on installation, then add on electricity costs. I also heard that "technically" you have to get your system certified and clear licensing issues by a professional, which adds on even more costs.

Whatever the new alternative fuel is in the future, refueling stations will be a problem shared across the board. Unless you get one of those advanced technologies with that messes with kinetic energy or magnets or what not previously mentioned.

 

[A.Nonymous]

The only way the electric car works is if you can swap batteries. However, as we all know, older rechargeable batteries don't hold a charge as long or as well as new ones. What happens if I swap out my brand new battery for your 3 yr old one that sucks and I only get 100 miles out of it?

 

[dan330]

The main problem with hydrogen is that there's no infrastructure for it. If you could wave a magic wand and there are hydrogen stations on every street corner tomorrow, then the hydrogen car becomes viable. Right now it's a catch-22. There are no hydrogen stations because there are no hydrogen cars. There are no hydrogen cars because there are no hydrogen stations to refuel them.

this is the biggest wall to break for hydrogen or any new fuel resource.

but as gas prices go up and up.. the initial cost of creating a new distribution of hydrogen will start to look more and more viable.

once gas goes above $10/gallon... some big company will invest to make it available to all. then the funny thing will happen.. gas will start to fall in price.

the middle east and gas companies.. will fight and kill to keep gas the number one .. for as long as they can.

 

[race2c]

I would love to see hydrogen cars develop, but as previously said its all about developing that infrastructure. its no different of why we are so dependent on the current modes of fuels. if we, united states, had developed a domestic energy policy about 30 years ago, things would be vastly different now.

cam

 

[dan330]

a conspiracy theory... that i think holds some water.

the Man.... they wanted earth (mostly usa) to use up most of other nations oil resources (middle east). with the price of oil at the low end.

once that is mostly used up. the rest that is controlled by the man in the usa..(protected in alaska, oklahoma, and texas).... will then be needed at a very high premium. they stand to hold the rest of the world (and mostly usa) over a very expensive ransom.

but here comes hydrogen.... which can make oil resource = $0
well there are other oil based products that are very important in our daily life.. so it will still have value.

the Man will not let that happen.. he is going to try to get as much $$$$ before hydrogen takes off. he is going to delay this change as long as he can.


ok..
well.. it is just a theory.

 

[A.Nonymous]

The reason we do have stations that sell E85 is because cars that burn E85 can generally also burn regular gasoline as well. So people were able to put cars on the road that burn E85 and because the cars were there, the infrastructure followed. If I could go down to the dealership today and buy a hydrogen car it wouldn't do me much good. There'd be no way to fuel it. I'd have a brand new car sitting in my driveway that I literally could not drive anywhere. The first hydrogen cars would need to be something that ran on hydrogen and something else.