Posted on 09/28/2007 9:27:36 AM PDT by SirLinksalot
I just got back from a trip to the UK where I rented a diesel VW Jetta. I'm very impressed. It was smooth, fast and quiet. As nice as my wife's Infinity I30. We drove it hard for two days solid and had nearly a half tank left when we returned it. I may have to buy one, if they ship anything similar to the US (with left hand drive, of course).
"When GM first announced their efforts of producing a hybrid system for their Troop Carrier class SUV’s the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon their estimates were for a modest 25 percent gain in fuel economy. After more testing it seems their modest estimates were too modest and that the real fuel savings has leapt to 50 percent. That would mean that this road behemoth would average around 21 mpg in the city; which is right there with the Camry. …Not so behemoth like."
"The complete EPA rating for the Tahoe/Yukon Hybrid will be 21 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Those may not be the same average leaps found from other hybrid models, but when you consider the gasoline variant of those SUV’s gets 10 mpg in the city that is a colossal improvement. By comparison again to the Toyota Camry that 21 mpg in the city is 2 mpg better than the Camry V6 achieves."
http://www.ridelust.com/can-the-new-gm-yukontahoe-hybrid-really-match-the-camry-in-fuel-efficiency/
I don't care about greens.
Use coal. It is clean, getting cleaner, and the end result will be as clean as anything.
Hydrogen cumbustion (aka ICE), not Hydrogen fuel cells. More efficient, follows the popular “fuel up and drive” idea of the gas station. Already many working prototypes. Here is an article excerpt.
Hydrogen Cars:
Hydrogen cars come in two main varieties, fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engines (ICE). Most hydrogen cars being developed today are fuel cell vehicles using proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology as these will be, by all accounts, the cars of the future.
A few of the manufacturers, however, are using hydrogen ICE technology, seeing this as an interim step between today’s gasoline or hybrid cars and tomorrow’s PEM cars.
In fact, the hydrogen race car, the BMW H2R is both the fastest hydrogen car to date and a hybrid car as well. The BMW H2R uses an ICE powered by either compressed hydrogen or gasoline.
The other hydrogen hybrid currently touring the concept market is the Mazda RX-8 with RENESIS Hydrogen Rotary Engine. The Mazda rotary engine lends itself well to hydrogen with less backfiring than traditionally converted ICE vehicles.
Here is a list of some of the hydrogen cars currently being shown off by manufacturers:
BMW H2R - has set nine international and FIA-ratified land-speed records for hydrogen cars and can use both hydrogen and gasoline with the flip of a switch.
Mazda RX-8 Renesis - rotary duel-fuel engine capable of using both hydrogen and gasoline.
General Motors Sequel - crossover H2 concept vehicle has a range of over 300 miles and will accelerate from 0 - 60 in 10 seconds.
Mercedes F600 Hygenius - H2 hydrogen crossover vehicle with emphasis on luxury for the whole family.
Mercedes F-Cell - Mercedes-Benz A-class vehicles are being used as company fleet vehicles by Deutsche Telekom and BEWAG/Vattenfall.
Ford Focus FCV - uses a Ballard 902 Fuel Cell and fleet evaluation vehicles have already been delivered to cities in the U. S., Canada and Germany.
Honda FCX - current concept car that Honda has announced will go into production in Japan in just 3 - 4 years.
Toyota Fine-S - built using some of the same technology from the Prius hybrid car.
Besides this list some of the other past hydrogen cars include GM HydroGen3, Hyundai Santa Fe FCEV, Reva Hydrogen, Toyota FCHV, Nissan Effis, Volkswagen Touran HiMotion, Toyota MTRC, Morgan LIFEcar, BOC Ech2o, Ford U Concept and H2 Hummer.
*****************
As a Northeast motorcyclist (Year round, at that) I can tell you that most people’s misery stems from their penchant to FLOOR IT whenever the light turns green.
The Full-Throttle SUV is connecticut’s state bird.
DETROIT – With a cat-like predatory stance, forward-thinking freestyle door system and enough room for four, not two, adults to enjoy all its benefits, the Mazda RX-8 has set itself apart from the pack. But if the recently introduced RX-8 production sports car truly is unique thanks, in large part, to its rotary engine, the RX-8 Hydrogen Rotary Engine (RE) concept, showcased this year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), takes “unique” to all new levels.
Featuring a fuel system that consists of a high-pressure hydrogen tank, the vehicle balances the needs of the driving enthusiast and the environmentalist with a blend of alternative power and the exhilarating driving experience for which Mazda is known.
As the auto industry turns its attention to hydrogen fuel as a gasoline alternative, the RX-8 Hydrogen RE offers a hydrogen-powered version of RENESIS—Mazda’s next generation rotary engine that was introduced last year in the all-new RX-8. By virtue of its smooth performance, compact size and impressive driving characteristics, RENESIS was named International Engine of the Year in June 2003.
The RENESIS Hydrogen RE allows the RX-8 concept to run on either hydrogen fuel or gasoline and capitalizes on all the advantages of the rotary to assure RX-8’s ease-of-operation and reliability.
The RENESIS Hydrogen RE incorporates an electronically controlled hydrogen injector system, with the hydrogen injected in a gaseous state. The system draws air from the side port during the intake cycle and uses dual hydrogen injectors in each of the engine’s twin rotor housings to directly inject hydrogen into the intake chambers.
Because it offers separate chambers for intake and combustion, the rotary engine is ideal for burning hydrogen without the backfiring that can occur in a traditional piston engine. The separate induction chamber also provides a safer temperature for fitting the dual hydrogen injectors with their rubber seals, which are susceptible to the high temperatures encountered in a conventional reciprocating piston engine.
Also helping to maximize the benefits of the rotary engine in hydrogen combustion mode, the RENESIS Hydrogen RE features adequate space for the installation of two injectors per intake chamber. Because hydrogen has an extremely low density, a much greater injection volume is required compared with gasoline, thus demanding the use of more than one injector. Typically, this can be difficult to achieve with a conventional reciprocating piston engine because of the structural constraints that prevent mounting injectors in the combustion chamber. However, with its twin hydrogen injectors, the RENESIS Hydrogen RE is both practical and able to deliver sufficient power.
In addition to the revolutionary hydrogen-powered RENESIS rotary engine, the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE concept benefits from improved aerodynamics and optimized tires and weight-saving measures. A fast-fill tandem master cylinder reduces brake drag and friction hub carriers help cut power losses.
Commercial Hemp!
You don’t have to beat the BTU/gallon ratio .... you have to be the cost per BTU/gallon ratio.
Jetta TDI diesels have been selling (the most efficient auto) in the USA for years until 2007. They’ll be back in ‘08 with a CRD (common rail). One of the most under told stories in the usa. Son’s got an ‘03, I’ve got an ‘05. Tiny engine easy to work on as well. Clubs across the US adore this little dollar saver.
see http://www.tdiclub.com
for more
The article did not even mention using compressed natural gas or methane gas as an alternative.
One overlooked key to the whole thing is weight. Typical small cars in 1967 weighed 2000 lbs or less; today that’s more like 2600. A reasonable future for American technology should look increasingly like carbonfibre and other advanced materials, and decreasingly like steel.
All very good, but it still doesn’t change the fact that in both fuel cells and hydrogen ICE’s, the result is H2O at the tailpipe, and given that water vapor is responsible for about 70% of all greenhouse effects, it will still come as a proctological inconvenience to the AGW hysterics.
The exact type of hydrogen combustion aside, there still remains the fact that hydrogen is not a viable fuel, because there exists no source of free H2 in nature. We have to manufacture H2 from something else, which (if we’re not using reformers and liberating H2 from CH4), require copious amounts of energy. Therefore, in the environmentalist nirvana, H2 becomes a lossy energy transfer mechanism, not a fuel.
H2 powered cars are the most recent incarnation of the same idea that spawned the battery-powered “zero emissions cars” of the 90’s: a hugely expensive and futile distraction.
All very good, but it still doesn’t change the fact that in both fuel cells and hydrogen ICE’s, the result is H2O at the tailpipe, and given that water vapor is responsible for about 70% of all greenhouse effects, it will still come as a proctological inconvenience to the AGW hysterics.
The exact type of hydrogen combustion aside, there still remains the fact that hydrogen is not a viable fuel, because there exists no source of free H2 in nature. We have to manufacture H2 from something else, which (if we’re not using reformers and liberating H2 from CH4), require copious amounts of energy. Therefore, in the environmentalist nirvana, H2 becomes a lossy energy transfer mechanism, not a fuel.
H2 powered cars are the most recent incarnation of the same idea that spawned the battery-powered “zero emissions cars” of the 90’s: a hugely expensive and futile distraction.
“facts....like kryptonite to libs...”
mainly, because they march in lockstep like the good little nazis that they are. the more of them that bow to the lies, the more they gain inroads into policy decisions and “running” everything for “the children”. (their objective is power....nothing else.)
Horses produce methane gas...very bad for the environment.
Algae biomass....once cost and yields are changed.
bmflr
We must learn to harness the power of man.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.