not a good picture :(

[CountryPug]

Why are car companies still pissing about with electric/diesel/petrol hybrid technology instead of cutting straight to the point and investing in hydrogen, seems to me to be the only real solution in terms of personal transport. Think Honda's going for it, why not everyone else?

[highlander]

Infrastructure. Takes a lot of investment on the part of the forecourts to adapt to selling hydrogen fuel.

And producing hydrogen takes a lot of electricity (hydrogen is produced by "cracking" water; pass a high current through water and you break the chemical bonds between oxygen and hydrogen; then all you need to do is trap the hydrogen gas and store it - but it does require a lot of input power to work), and then you've got to safely transport the hydrogen from your production plants to the forecourts. It's like starting all over again.

That said, it is definitely the fuel of the future. The Honda Clarity is a brilliant car simply because it looks like and drives like a normal car. It's much lighter than a battery-powered car because it has no batteries, just an engine which converts hydrogen into electrical current. And the only by-product of this process is water. You get a good couple of hundred miles of range out of it as well, making it much more usable than the plug-in battery cars do.

All that's lacking is the infrastructure to support it. And you're highly unlikely to get much support for that from the forecourts, as Shell, BP, etc. have a vested interest in making sure hydrogen fuel doesn't take off - at least, until they're producing it - and even then they're unlikely to start doing that until the oil gets really scarce.

[FarmerPug]

Electric cars would be ok if they sorted out the batteries, if they looked at cordless drills for inspiration all would be fine, with a dewalt drill all the drills use the same sort of battery, so surely car companies can agree on a standard connector and shape of battery. Then have filling stations that have charged batteries ready to be swapped over when your car is near empty.

[CountryPug]

Thanks for explaining it really well highlander

Then have filling stations that have charged batteries ready to be swapped over when your car is near empty.

Can't imagine many people wanting to lug out a big battery every 100miles FarmerPug

That said maybe battery technology can improve to give us more longevity...whatever happens we will witness the biggest progression in automotive history since they gave it 4 wheels and called it a car

[FarmerPug]

If they provided mini forklifts that you rolled up to the car clipped them onto the battery and hoisted it out, there would be no sore backs. And for those really irritating old dolls who sit parked in their cars at a filling station holding everyone behind them up while they wait in their car for someone to fill it up, they can continue to do the same except the filling station manager can come out and change the battery. I don't think anyone could lift an electric car battery they must be about the weight of an engine at least.

Another idea is a docking station, if they mount the batteries under the car, you park the car over the docking station, some mechanical things move about and the upshot is they change the battery, lower it out of the car, and slot a charged up one into the car.

Great signature picture by the way

[gumby6371]

The speed of automotive development is directly linked to the cost of fuel, up until very recently (figuratively speaking) fuel was very cheap so speed, comfort and toys sold cars.
Now running costs are a major concern so designers are having to look very hard on efficiency, emissions and to a certain degree insurance groups.

I can see a point where the second hand car market will die unless something like electric cars take off in a big way. Hybrid technologies, super efficient engines and devices for limiting emissions will do 1 thing very well....make older cars very expensive to maintain and completely impractical to buy.

For glimpses into the future on any subject contact mystic Gareth on 0870 123456 (calls cost £15 per minute, please get bill payers permission before calling)

[leestudd30]

Theres a good review of the Chevrolet Volt on the Honest John website. I quite like it, better looking than the Ampera I think but its that £30K price tag that bothers me. Isn't the Nissan Leaf the only pure electric car with a decent range at the mo? Thats only 100 miles and depends greatly on your driving, road conditions and weather.

[sirwiggum]

Peugeot sell a Mitsubishi thing that has a leccy motor.

I would be tempted by a Fluence EV, proper big saloon car not some weird pokey thing.

[highlander]

That's a point. Why do electric cars tend to look really f*cking stupid?

[CountryPug]

Very true highlander, you would have thought designing an electric car around an existing chassis and body would be more cost effective than coming up with something brand new.

Can't say I love the looks of Honda's Clarity effort as its a bit mundane but in a way that's the point, no one will notice.

Great signature picture by the way

Cheers, typed Peugeot 405 into google and some really weird things came up but this made me laugh

[highlander]

Can't say I love the looks of Honda's Clarity effort as its a bit mundane but in a way that's the point, no one will notice.

It's not exactly the best-looking car in the world, but it does at least look like a normal family car. I wouldn't feel like a complete twat driving down the street in one of those.

And unlike a battery-powered car, it'd only take a few minutes to fill up. And I'd actually be able to go a reasonable distance without running out. And I wouldn't have to spend thousands of pounds on replacement batteries every few years or so because they won't hold a charge any more.

[steve_earwig]

That's a point. Why do electric cars tend to look really f*cking stupid?

Honda Clarity? Wassat then? Hold on.... it runs on what??



(not that I object to the idea...)

[highlander]

Funny man! Y'know, petroleum vapour explodes and burns too

The Intercity 125 was a cool-looking train - in 1976

The moon buggy is a bit daft looking but on the lunar surface, you're not likely to encounter anyone laughing at it.

And I give up - what the f*ck is that last one, the little light-blue bit of fail?

[steve_earwig]

Yeah but it's HyDrOgEn. As said, I don't object, it's just that H2 has a bad history with regard to transport. Boom.

And I give up - what the f*ck is that last one, the little light-blue bit of fail?

Remember this thread? viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17752&p=175070&hilit=puch#p175121

[FarmerPug]

I can remember driving a 2 seater car, it was fairly basic, but very economical you sat down on it, no roof etc all to reduce weight and there was a nice footrest on each side, you then pressed the footrests in a circular motion with your feet and it propelled the car forward. I think it was made by kettler. It was great no road tax, mot to worry about and fuel bills were non existent you just needed a good lunch before driving it.
Someone in the company car park had a similar car, it was much more luxurious with a 2 tone paint scheme red body and yellow roof, with a single door, it even had a horn mounted on a steering wheel that didn't seem to control things, there was also very low running costs for that car.

These were alternative fuel cars but never looked particularly odd, they at least had plenty of interested customers there used to be a waiting queue to drive one on the playground