With the many alternative energy designs and powerplant ideas being tossed around lately, which of todays ideas do you feel will be in use 20 years from now, and why?
After the sulfur is reduced in US diesel, I feel we will have a big percentage of hybrid/electric vehicles, achieving 50+ mpg and still being able to carry 8 people, or tow 10,000 lbs.
Also, GM's "skateboard" design or whatever its called, will be in widespread use, which I think is to be hydrogen fueled. This uses a common driveline/chassis and can have multiple body styles attached. Someone could, in theory, have a "truck body" and a "small coupe" body and just swap out to the common "skateboard" as needed. Sorta like a plug and play system for transportation.
I also feel that small hydrogen refueling/generating full service stations will be in widespread use. This will mean an increase in full service stations, like were in use pre 1980, but with hydrogen. New generations of kids will know the joys of riding their bikes to the local service station for air for their tires, buying a $5 dollar RC cola and a $4 dollar bag of peanuts.
What will be around 20 years from now? POLL
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Wow...I never thought this broad in terms of energy and transportation infrastructure before that left me with such a sense of wonder.
Just where will things be? We'll remember it's not always the superior design that comes to fruition, but that which supports related issues. Consider consumer acceptance, production costs, financial gains, replacement cycle, employment implications, tie-in to pre-existing aspects of infrustructure(s), and politics.
As far as everything being "drive by wire", I hesitate to think of not having direct mechanical input for steering the vehicle. A computer system may seem to lack human error in operation, but after all it's man-made. Will everything electrical really be of military spec., or will there be cost-cutting factors that have crept up in the past? The less depended one is upon themselves, the more issues appear to arise.
Though I'll continue to make due and continue efforts of preservating what I have around me today, I do sense a bit of curiousity about just what tomorrow will bring.
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"Change defines time. Time defines change."
Diesel electric Hybrid's will still be ruleing the roost unless nuclear power is used to seperate hydrogen from sea water! I think eventualy diesel will basicly take the form of Kerosine with ester based lubes much like synthetic two cycle lubes!
Hotrod magazine will still be running storys of the Rat V.S. Mouse motor! They will still be the low buck Chevy build up article every year etc...The ricers will have magizines showing how to build a more power direct injection engine etc.....It might be gas or it might be diesel!
quote:Thats funny, and I couldnt agree more. Every edition seems to have somthing to do with a rat or a mouse buildup. HotRod tried to diversify into bikes, boats and ricers, and supposedly got so much flack because of it. I do subscribe to it as a cheap monthly, and also for the free hat offer they gave me. But I subscribe mainly to try to get info on any alternative ideas/news being developed. That magazine, and Popular Mechanics. But I am very interested in the new designs which will come. I am not so interested in the costs, but I guess that is unavoidable. The fine balance between performance, economy, safety, and emissions is a juggling act that will be hopefully solved in the next 20 years.
Originally posted by JohnBrowning: ..........Hotrod magazine will still be running storys of the Rat V.S. Mouse motor! They will still be the low buck Chevy build up article every year etc...........
I think the story is about engines and not fuels. diesel is the next big thing, then gas burners with new combustion technology. petrol is going to be around much longer than expected.
I'm not placing any bets on hydrogen or pure (battery or solar cell) electrics. The numbers just dont add up.
Hydrocarbon fuels will still provide the bulk of transportation propulsion as long as oil and natural gas is available. Ethanol and biodiesel will probably increase in market share, but still not dominate.
Look at where we are now compared to 20 years ago: the same place, more or less. 20 years is not that long. The only things that will cause a dramatic change in our fuel sources will be conflict over energy supplies or if prices continue to climb without ever pulling back.
Our gasoline is still much cheaper than in Europe. Look at Europe, that's us in 20 years. If gasoline here goes up to $5 per gallon, we'll buy smaller cars, ride the bus, and carpool. If it goes past $10 per gallon, we'll find a new source of fuel.
I am being conservative here:
People won't switch over to pure electric car in 20 years, so we will be driving cheaper hybrids much like the Prius today, but with plug in capability.
Battery will be smaller, safer, lighter, but more powerful (Li-Fe cell that is recently invented, for example, is much saver than any other Li cell). Faster charging (i.e. 2 mins for a 100 mile range) will be common and gas station start providing quick charge/top-off in addition to pumping gas. Battery will be standardized and you can buy from Tire-shop or online.
There will be more electric tricycles on the road, and SUV will be uncool like the station wagons of 80s.
Toll road service plazas and park and ride lots will have coin op/ez pass activated charging stations, that will see little use and eventually go the way of the "motorist aid call box". Said charging stations will be built at amazing taxpayer expense with a no-bid contract.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
I am being conservative here:
People won't switch over to pure electric car in 20 years, so we will be driving cheaper hybrids much like the Prius today, but with plug in capability.
Battery will be smaller, safer, lighter, but more powerful (Li-Fe cell that is recently invented, for example, is much saver than any other Li cell). Faster charging (i.e. 2 mins for a 100 mile range) will be common and gas station start providing quick charge/top-off in addition to pumping gas. Battery will be standardized and you can buy from Tire-shop or online.
There will be more electric tricycles on the road, and SUV will be uncool like the station wagons of 80s.
We will all be dead from global warming or cooling .
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Battery will be smaller, safer, lighter, but more powerful (Li-Fe cell that is recently invented, for example, is much saver than any other Li cell).
Prior to lately, it took 20 years for fuel prices to go up $1. It went up more than a dollar in the last 4 months for diesel. I think we'll see lots of changes in the next 20 years. We hardly saw any change in the last 20 years but I think we've reached the end of the road as far as living like a king and driving big gas guzzler vehicles. 50 mpg will be a norm amongst cars. Fuel cell technology will be available to the common public but maybe not as widespread as to where everyone drives one. Diesel-hybrid technology will be popular. In fact VW, Benz, and BMW already have plans to come out with the first diesel-hybrid passenger car in the next few years, which is supposed to get 70 mpg. In the next 20 years, people will be more environmentally aware and open-minded. The world's population would be a lot more than it is now and demand for resources would increase. Hopefully the US population won't increase. People having 18 kids need to wake up. Maybe we'd all go back to riding horses when oil becomes too expensive.
I think that we are at this very moment at a huge turning point in transportation and energy in this country. The current downturn in the economy coupled with fuel prices and the current credit market will forever change the transportation landscape. Smaller cars, hydrogen, fuel cells will all be common place in 20. Diesel engines will expand in the marketplace with alternative fuel sources continuing to grow. An explosion in electric cars will happen in the next 4-6 years. Cost of shipping will shrink the options for products in many geographic areas. We will become "smaller" as a nation.
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I wonder if they said the same thing in the 70's?
Anyone seen this new permanent magnet motor ? No external power source , just permanent magnets ! Spin it to start and it will go for as long as the magnets are magnetic , which is about 400 years with the latest type !! Problem is , it's an over unity device which the law of conservation of energy dictates is impossible , but that doesn't seem to stop it working !!
Originally Posted By: evoboy
Anyone seen this new permanent magnet motor ? No external power source , just permanent magnets ! Spin it to start and it will go for as long as the magnets are magnetic , which is about 400 years with the latest type !! Problem is , it's an over unity device which the law of conservation of energy dictates is impossible , but that doesn't seem to stop it working !!
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