how have we not created cars that run on something other than petrol/diesel

[jamie128]

In such an advanced world how on earth have we not managed to invent cars that dont run on petrol/diesel/lpg or electric, in other works a renewable source such as veg oil or even air somehow.

Im not claiming its easy but surely there is other ways.

I know this would still use petrol partly but isent there ways to use the wind resistance at motorway speeds to charge batteries etc, i.e. let it flow through a component in the car which somehow uses the energy to generate energy.

[98elise]

Cars can run on veg oil, lpg, alcohol etc with little modification. An engine can run on pretty much anything that will burn.

The wind generator will rob more energy through drag than it could create.

[Disco You]

jamie128 said:

In such an advanced world how on earth have we not managed to invent cars that dont run on petrol/diesel/lpg or electric, in other works a renewable source such as veg oil or even air somehow.

Im not claiming its easy but surely there is other ways.

I know this would still use petrol partly but isent there ways to use the wind resistance at motorway speeds to charge batteries etc, i.e. let it flow through a component in the car which somehow uses the energy to generate energy.

You mean other than hydrogen and solar power?

Driving a turbine using air resistance is also a hilariously silly idea.

[Vaud]

Disco You said:

You mean other than hydrogen and solar power?

Driving a turbine using air resistance is also a hilariously silly idea.

Indeed. Add drag and at least two system inefficiencies. Regenerative braking is a sensible idea in place of regular brakes (conceptually at least, the power is of power us in a regular car)



Sounds like the underpant gnomes.

1) Steal underpants
2) ...
3) Profit!

[grumbledoak]

As said - veg. oil or alcohol both work and you can grow the fuel.

Your air power idea is pretty dumb though.

[J4CKO]

Most MX5's run on borrowed time.

[Chim]

Hmmm, maybe because we have yet to find anything other than fossil fuels the produce more energy than they consume.

Please feel free to pop back when we crack cold fusion though

[Monkeylegend]

Chicken st.

[storminnorman]

I always think that surely the petrol/diesel engine has a long way to go in efficiency development, which must be a more logical route than developing a new fuel/propulsion method.

[budfox]

My wife has an Aygo that apparently requires no fuel.

[73mark]

Monkeylegend said:

Chicken st.

Human/pigs/cows there's enough of it about

[anonymous-user]

er, OP, we HAVE!

(it's just that currently, what with dead dino juice still being so cheap, they aren't currently economically viable for mass transport!)

[98elise]

storminnorman said:

I always think that surely the petrol/diesel engine has a long way to go in efficiency development, which must be a more logical route than developing a new fuel/propulsion method.

Unfortunately not.....its a big air pump that gets hot and only 1/4 of it is producing power at any moment in time. There isn't alot more we can do with a piston ICE. The next step is hybrid where the ICE can run at its optimum all the time....

.....sorry

[jamie128]

If there is these other fuels alcohol etc then why are they not making the cars to use them? Petrols getting dam expensive

[crosseyedlion]

98elise said:

Unfortunately not.....its a big air pump that gets hot and only 1/4 of it is producing power at any moment in time. There isn't alot more we can do with a piston ICE. The next step is hybrid where the ICE can run at its optimum all the time....

.....sorry

Im sorry but...what?

Has it not occurred to you that some of the energy in the other 3/4 could be recovered?

There is a massive amount that could be done with the ICE.

[anonymous-user]

jamie128 said:

Petrols getting dam expensive

Not really. It's still incredibly cheap. A lot of the more advanced technologies will need petrol to more than double in price before they become viable. Sorry about that!

[fourpointsixgt]

I put veg oil in my 1992 merc W124 diesel, when I sold it 2 years ago it was 80p/litre, other than changing the fuel filter twice a year (a fiver and 5 minutes work)plus a feint whiff of the local chippy coming from the exhaust, it ran without fault. Cant use it on modern diesels though, pity, I do miss it.

[ATG]

crosseyedlion said:

Im sorry but...what?

Has it not occurred to you that some of the energy in the other 3/4 could be recovered?

There is a massive amount that could be done with the ICE.

A large chunk of that 3/4 cannot be recovered. Google for "Carnot cycle" and welcome to the world of thermodynamics.

[AER]

If only the ICE-powered vehicle was 1/4 efficient!

I think you'll find it's 1/5 or less, sadly. There's lots of room for improvement, but only at a cost far in excess of the extra fuel you'll burn. Fossil fuels are cheap compared with anything else available.

[glazbagun]

Petrol/Diesel is still just too cheap right now for anything else to come close. Given the right incentive, though, and you can run a car on some amazing things.

Wood powered car anyone?

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-ca...