GM's looking for new ideas?

[Tideland Prius]

btw, Honda has announced that they'll put that hydrogen FCV concept (forgot the name) into production (it'll be about 3-4 years from now). They said it'll have a range of 500km. I think I might have posted it in General Discussion, I don't remember.

Edit: Apparently I didn't. Here's the link anyway

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/...tid=56075&pg=1

[Corona67]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

btw, Honda has announced that they'll put that hydrogen FCV concept (forgot the name) into production (it'll be about 3-4 years from now). They said it'll have a range of 500km. I think I might have posted it in General Discussion, I don't remember.

Edit: Apparently I didn't. Here's the link anyway

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/...tid=56075&pg=1

That is one seriously cool-looking car. Hope Honda doesn't wimp out on the rad design when it comes to market (Acura CL-X-to-CL comes to mind). I might have to add a Honda to my little fleet.

I can't figure out why people are so gaga about using natural gas for hydrogen power in a home-refueling station. It's still fossil fuels, albeit much cleaner. What is wrong with photoelectrolysis? You can make H2 pretty easily that way, with O2 as a byproduct. I'd love to be sitting in the backyard on a sunny day, knowing the solar panels on my roof were slowly refilling my car's fuel tank...

C

[Tideland Prius]

yeah, I'm curious why solar panels aren't being researched more and why they're not trying to drive the cost down.

[Cyorke]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

yeah, I'm curious why solar panels aren't being researched more and why they're not trying to drive the cost down.

Size I think is the biggest issue. TO be able to get them to absorb enought energy they need to be fairly large. I know there is a subdivision entrance that is using soalr panels to run their lights for the signs. late in teh night or early morning they are done and they are only running 4 100 watt lights.

[Tideland Prius]

True but like most things technology, R&D can bring the size and power down fairly quickly right?

[joel_musicman]

I remember back in the late 80's/early 90's (when I was a little sprout), solar powered vehicles were the rage. Many of the techno colleges actually built solar powered cars that basically used road bicycle wheels and went cross country in them. These "cars" were all pretty long, and they topped out at ~35 mph if I remember correctly. The problem comes when they hit cloudy patches...

What the automakers need to do is figure out a way to make a car modular! Convert to a lightweight, efficient one-seater for commuting, then attach the sedan frame or truck bed for other uses.