Gaps/Opportunities in the automotive marketplace?

[Frimley111R]

Musing this subject on the drive in to work today, as no doubt many other petrolheads have done in the past. Where do you see any gaps/potential in the automotive world, now or in the future (excepting hover cars )?

[528Sport]

I think I see a gap in the restoration and care area of older cars old MG's, Triumph and the likes of.. even moving into the 80's cars.

I'd love to set up a little garage doing light restoration and care of the "simpler" cars.

[jammy_basturd]

Can't imagine there are too many garages specialising in hybrids yet.

Other than that the automotive sector has now been established for many, many decades. The only gaps or opportunities will be at the intersection of automotive and some new technology.

[groomi]

A network of hydrogen filling stations. Supposedly a huge market potential.

[Undirection]

jammy_basturd said:

Can't imagine there are too many garages specialising in hybrids yet.

My thought too. I sold a car to a trader about a year ago and all he did was sell automatic cars. Could do the same with hybird and even EVs potentially (although I am sure someone already does)

[jammy_basturd]

groomi said:

A network of hydrogen filling stations. Supposedly a huge market potential.

Really? Why?

[Undirection]

jammy_basturd said:

groomi said:

A network of hydrogen filling stations. Supposedly a huge market potential.

Really? Why?

Zepplins are making a come back.

[jammy_basturd]

Led?

[groomi]

The technology has been around for at least a couple of decades for Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars. It offers all of the advantages of electric cars without the range issue - range is similar to petrol and is as easy to fill, if only there was anywhere you could fill up with liquid hydrogen.

Unfortunately, unlike electric where manufacturers can sell you a car today that you can plug in at home and one-by-one the number of fast charging stations grows which makes it even easier to use, for Hyrdrogen you need to have the filling infrastructure in place before you can sell any cars.

Unless the oil giants, who already have their filling station networks, decide to incorporate hydrogen on a global scale it can't take off. And they're not likely to do that until oil is no longer profitable - which if things continue as they are may be sooner than we think...

[jammy_basturd]

The problem is, no car manufacturer is going to build a hydrogen car until there is the infrastructure. No one will buy a hydrogen car until there is the infrastructure to fill it up. No one is going to create the hydrogen infrastructure whilst there are no hydrogen cars on the road!

[Mr Overheads]

Start collecting software for all makes/models of cars, when the main dealers and main indies stop being able to support old cars with dodgy software then you'll make a killing. And maybe the ECU boxes too, preloaded with the last version released.

[Bertrum]

They are beginning to Build Hydrogen filling stations in California. There should be a reasonable infrastructure in the next few years.

Keep an eye on Tesla to see what they do.

Its the only viable alternative to petrol/diesel.

Unless we make nuclear cars......hmm.

[jammy_basturd]

I can't see Hydrogen winning out over electric. There are massive solar power stations popping up all over the place and the infrastructure is already in place. Plus Tesla and a number of other car manufacturers have already staked their bets on electric.

[MitchT]

Something that looks good, sounds good, is light and mechanically simple.

[ModernAndy]

jammy_basturd said:

I can't see Hydrogen winning out over electric. There are massive solar power stations popping up all over the place and the infrastructure is already in place. Plus Tesla and a number of other car manufacturers have already staked their bets on electric.

I'm not backing either side but a friend of mine who is an electrical engineer believes the infrastructure cost of everybody going from fossil fuels to electric is at least as big an issue as a hydrogen fueling network.