The best alternative energy source

[brokenergy]

Unless you use the solar energy and store it in a rechargeable battery (same thing hybrids use for brakes). Sort of like a electric/solar hybrid but more research has to be done before we can be certain for a sustainable use in the long term. I do not see why it is not possible.

[Vindekarr]

KERS(kinetic energy recovery system) is a good idea, thats why some Formula One race cars will use a similar system to the Prius' brake dynamo for overtaking from next year. augmenting that with solar recorevy to battery would also be a fantastic idea. But only if you can cut the panel's down massively so as not to have to design the entire vehicle around it, and come up with some means of making solar panels that dont do more harm than good. As things stand, in most modern car's aesthetic design, which is shared by hyrdogen cars and plugin electrics like the Volt and Tesla Sport (the only two plugins I respect) a common theme is strips of black, especialy along the roof and any exposed downforce parts like splitters, spoilers, turntowers and flares. Just covering those areas in a paint that worked as a highly effective solar panel would allow the same nice aesthetic(because black highlights really can work) without adding a ridiculous amount of weight or the safety and cost issues solar cars have.

 

The hydrogen fuel cell cars I usualy advocate for here could only be enhanced by backup solar power, if you could add KERS, some small solar panels perhaps on the downforce parts that are becoming standard issue, you could remove the need for the standard car electrical system that drains energy from the engine to power the electrical systems, if the electrics, like the lights and air conditioner were powered by a secondary system like this, going to a lightweight battery, you would gain a nice bit of extra engine power and save weight.

 

This would also be great in motorsport. In modern motorsport, the top tier is prototype racing, such as ALM1 and Indi in america, Formula 1 and next year's proposed Global Enduro GP. The vehicles in these are very high tech, and are entirely designed to be the fastest most high tech vehicle that their series rules legaly allow them to enter, and typicaly have large flat expanses of wing and defuser, if you solar paneld these, you could augment the KERS that F1 and Global Enduro use to gather solar energy instead of just breaking force. This would be a good developement, as KERS adds more passing chances, higher speeds, and more tactics, for a more fun competitive race, augmenting it like this would allow for an even bigger speed boost when needed.

[Captainscar]

Anti-Matter would be a great power source if it existed (dan Brown says it does)

[Vindekarr]

Or something that harvests ambient electromangetics.

 

We live surrounded by a massive electromagnetic field, in a perfect world we would be smart enough to be able to harness that.

[JimboUK]

Maybe we could use something like a dam system to store wind/solar energy. When the power is being produced use some to pump water to a reservoir at the top then when power is not being produced the water could be sent through the damn to create power.

[ub3rman123]

Antimatter is possible, it's just unsafe right now, I mean, if you thought a Ford Pinto blew up easily, antimatter cars would explode at every pothole. Like the cars in Fallout 3.

[Vindekarr]

Thats half the problem with eco cars.

 

Solar cars often literaly shatter on impact, either shredding the occupant or crushing them to death.

 

Classical electrical cars like the Gee Whiz have no airbags, are made of plastic, and are little larger than beachballs. a Gee Whiz crash puts the occupant at the same level of risk as if they had been strapped to the front of the car,

 

Hydrozine cars have the risk of fuel leaks. Hydrazine, when it escapes, is extremely dangerous. Inhale it and its like breathing in sulfuric acid, get it on your skin and it burns the skin from your flesh, drink it, and it will mutate your bowls and cause cancer.It also takes very little provocation to burn, self oxidises so it cant be extinguished, and on the off chance it doesnt just explode, savagely, it burns extremely hot and cant be extinguished.

 

Antimatter is simply a time bomb, it will explode, its just a matter of when, when it does, dont be on the same planet.

[Thor.]

Thats half the problem with eco cars.

 

Classical electrical cars like the Gee Whiz have no airbags, are made of plastic, and are little larger than beachballs. a Gee Whiz crash puts the occupant at the same level of risk as if they had been strapped to the front of the car,

 

 

Well the electric car is advancing leaps and bounds, you never know what to expect, The battery is improving and the higher demand for it since the oil spill in Florida has increased. I can see it being mainstream in under 8 to 10 years the way its advancing.

 

Here's one from Renault.

 

http://www.plugincars.com/renault-shows-dezir-electric-sports-car-concept-hints-new-design-philosophy-47500.html

 

I think its the best looking one in my Opinion :thumbsup:

[Vindekarr]

Electric cars are only good as stand ins.

 

The worst and most fundamental issue with "proressive" vehicles is that they are designed by theoreticians who usualy dont even have a driver's licence. There is no point trying to make electric cars mainstream, They have abysmal handling, usualy cant carry luggage or multiple passengers, and worst of all, take usualy two days to recharge fully.

 

Until you can solve the enormous problems of ridiculous weight and recharge time, they have no future.

[Thor.]

Electric cars are only good as stand ins.

 

The worst and most fundamental issue with "proressive" vehicles is that they are designed by theoreticians who usualy dont even have a driver's licence. There is no point trying to make electric cars mainstream, They have abysmal handling, usualy cant carry luggage or multiple passengers, and worst of all, take usualy two days to recharge fully.

 

Until you can solve the enormous problems of ridiculous weight and recharge time, they have no future.

 

Lol can't argue with someone so one sided, and almost sounds pro Oil. This is why i stay from the debates section, its an endless circle.