An alternative to the giant gas-guzzling truck

[photon]

BMW Unveils World's Fastest Hydrogen-Powered Car [story.news.yahoo.com]

[Leosghost]

Oh Wow.. is that one cute car! I'd buy it if it ran on coal.

[limbo]

Why do 'eco' car designers seem to dislike real wheels? I rather like rear wheels but they keep hiding them. Maybe it's beacause they're made from jam and mushrooms?

[Macguru]

I like both of these. They both show 4 wheels. ;)

[canadiandriver.com...]

Especially this one.

[bmwworld.com...]

The hydrogen-powered MINI features a possible new injection process in which super-cooled liquid hydrogen is injected into the intake ducts where it mixes with air before entering the cylinders for ignition. Previously, the liquid hydrogen was heated to ambient temperature before combustion. This super-cooled mixture increases the cylinder charge, boosting both engine output and efficiency and offers a hydrogen engine that has the potential to match the standards of a modern petrol engine in every respect.

The concept of clean energy is not so hard to understand. Just look up in the sky, you see that big bright yellow ball of fire? Some call it the sun. I believe it's been providing all the energy needed for the whole planet long before humans invented the wheel.

Here is a picture of that concept [bmwworld.com]. It's not that hard to understand. Just imagine the roof of your home covered with photovoltaic cells to provide the energy to get the hydrogen from water. Some gizmo to liquify the fuel, and some safe way to store the liquid hydrogen between fillings. Just imagine you never have to stop at a gas bar anymore (exept maybe for long trips).

I wonder of the initial cost of such a system compared to gasoline for say, 25 years.

[TheDoctor]

Macguru, I don't think they're putting fusion reactors into cars - not yet anyway. These cars burn their hydrogen, producing water. The sun is a mass of nuclear reactions, producing helium, (and, indeed, eventually carbon).

[Macguru]

Duh!

Sorry I was so short sighted to a planetary level TheDoctor!

Now let's hurry and send Bruce Willis and all his working-class-heroes-oil-dwelling-friends out there to blow this annoying giant light bulb away!

Free energy is bad for the economy. ;)

[photon]

Here's another option [story.news.yahoo.com]. It's probably not as fast as the BMW, but it runs on compressed air!

[shigamoto]

Macguru's links was really nice, they showed that hydrogen cars doesn't have to look like some futuristic plastic thingy.

The Mini is a really nice car, test drove one once, didn't by one but anyway it's a nice one..

//Daniel

[Leosghost]

The Mini is a really nice car,

If they made them with more leg room ( I'd have to drive from the backseat to use the current spec')..they could make a sale here too.

[oldskool79]

Why do 'eco' car designers seem to dislike real wheels? I rather like rear wheels but they keep hiding them.

I think it's a performance issue. Covering the rear wheels reduces drag, and therefore reduces the amount of power required to move the car. And eco cars need to be as efficient as possible.