| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Gil-galad
Flame of the West
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Post Count: 6007
Location: Aya Sankha
2849957 Potch
200 Soldiers
46 Nation Points
|
 Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: The Air Car |
  |
|
This is a thread I recently posted in Tinto-- but I decided to post it out here too, because Tinto is pretty inactive at the moment, due to half of our active members being out on vacation with each other. Lucky fellows. Anyways-- this is about a new type of car with a rather impressive fuel source.
| Gil-galad wrote: |
No, this isn't a thread about a car that can fly through the air-- however it's about something almost as crazy. This is about a brand of car that runs solely on air. Now, the power isn't quite up to what 'American' standards are, at only a max speed of 68 miles per hour, however it's certainly another promising engine type to look in for a very renewable and very cheap fuel source, after all, there's air all around us! They say it would cost maybe a little over a dollar to fill up your tank with air, which is a ton cheaper than we're used to paying for expensive oil based gasoline.
I certainly hope more innovative ideas come out of this. It's a sign people are really looking on moving into a more independent from oil world. In the United States, there's quite a long way to go to achieve that, however.
Here's the article on the new car. The Air Car |
To expand it even further: What do you think about the lack of interest in exploring new fuel sources for cars in the United States. I honestly wish there was a lot more effort put into it.
_________________
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Seraphblade
imaginary soldiers
Joined: 06 Jan 2007
Post Count: 11674
Location: The Attic
935122 Potch
0 Soldiers
7777 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yeah, I think many of the major corporations that supply us with gas are doing what they can to keep the United State gas-dependant so they continue making a fortune.
I like the idea of a new, cheaper, and emvironmentally friendly fuel source but it is very difficult for America to make a switch. We are so dependant on travel. Doing so will take years and billions of dollars.
The air car will probably not be successful in American markets, but for a smaller country, it may be possible. A mixed gasoline and vegetable oil type of of will probably be the best fitting for the moment. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sailor Sexy
Mikan weeps for Brady
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Post Count: 2150
Location: Blight's Bay
246380 Potch
175 Soldiers
50 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Seraphblade wrote: |
I like the idea of a new, cheaper, and emvironmentally friendly fuel source but it is very difficult for America to make a switch. We are so dependant on travel. Doing so will take years and billions of dollars.
|
Try trillions of dollars. When you consider the infrastructure required to change out gas stations for whatever kind of station these alternative fuel cars need, it will go well into the trillions. There's a lot of roads out there after all.
Now, I'm not trying to sound down on the idea of alternative fuels. I want them as much as the next person, not for some noble purpose like saving the environment, that I honestly don't care about. But I'm realistic. Oil will run out eventually, so it would be foolish to wait until then to start finding alternatives. We'll always need to use oil, it's not just used for gasoline after all, so if we could get going on getting our cars off gasoline engines now, then we'd be in much better shape.
That said, 68 MPH? Boo. Try again. That's right, I'm unwilling to slow down. I drive 75 MPH, and that's not going to change, so if they want my support, they best get those speeds up there. Plus I want some power behind it. It does me no good if I hit the pedal to the floor and I barely get creeping past. There's a reason why I don't buy 4 cylinder cars. The gas mileage is nice, but I want an engine that has some oomph under the hood.
_________________
~Uguu!~ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Scarlet Assassin
Disciples of Death
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Post Count: 5509
Location: Xasta Grassland
331436 Potch
0 Soldiers
2442517 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I could live driving 68 MPH if it meant it cost next to nothing to fill my tank. I live in a haven for traffic anyway so there's not much opportunity to fly down the road in excess of 70 anyway. As they say, neccessity is the mother of invention, once it gets to the point where it will be more expensive and harmful to continue using gasoline than it would to explore other options, the United States will go full force into the alternative fuel market, blow a ton of money, and get there first. Hell, we're awesome at caring more than anyone at the last minute, and if you disagree we've got a checkbook that will make you think otherwise.
_________________
Chief of Beat-em-up Honeys Division, Devoted Protector of Lady Tifa Lockhart |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ujitsuna
Red Shoes Dance
Joined: 24 May 2006
Post Count: 4823
Location: Pale Plains
936547 Potch
12000 Soldiers
675 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 4:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| It looks ridiculous, I will wait until they master the art of fashion! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Yvl
Sanctus
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Post Count: 5979
Location: Senan
55224 Potch
1063 Soldiers
12421 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Will it overheat or something if it goes to its max speed? Or any kind of consequence?
_________________
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ezekiel
Mediocre Archer
Joined: 28 Jun 2007
Post Count: 1430
Location: North Gouran
119921 Potch
0 Soldiers
0 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Hayashi Ujitsuna wrote: |
| It looks ridiculous, I will wait until they master the art of fashion! |
Seems everything good for the environment is ugly as hell. How safe is this car? I remember a friend told me how dangerous it would be if that car got in an accident... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Milan Fiori
Vanguard Elite
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Post Count: 14766
Location: Ceresfjellet
715991 Potch
0 Soldiers
7777 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I don't think it can go faster than 68 miles an hour Yvl. Meaning even if you floor it, it'll max out at around 65-70.
I'd like to see some more work on this though, as it looks to be one of the 'neater concepts' out there. And it's not ridiculously priced. If they could get the speeds up to around 75-80, it'd be perfect for commuters and stuff. A tank of air every two days or so depending on travel distant, and reaching practical highway speed? I'd buy it. Even if it looks horrible.
Accident wise, I could it would depend on how it's constructed. I'm assuming they're going the lightweight frames and so on, so if it were to crash with a normal car, definitely much worse. However if it was two of these cars, it's not several tons of steel crashing into each other anymore, so why they may be more delicate, there is less destructive force. So with some ingenious reinforcing, it might eliminate this all together.
_________________
Be awed by our prowess!
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Amyral
Windriders
Joined: 18 Sep 2006
Post Count: 1355
Location: Sawgrass Landing
544907 Potch
4066 Soldiers
620 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ezekiel wrote: |
Seems everything good for the environment is ugly as hell. |
I get the feeling they do that because they want it to stand out in a crowd. I keep getting flashbacks to the "smug" episode of South Park where everyone was busy patting each other over the back for getting a hybrid.
For the car, I wouldn't get it, primarily because where I live, there's a lot of distance driving, so a speed cap that low compared to the highway speed limit wouldn't work as well. In addition, I wonder how it'd do in severe weather conditions, which is a factor here.
For city driving, I think it'd be absolutely fine, because you're not likely to reach those speeds anyways. If I lived in a city and the thing didn't look uglier than sin, I'd seriously look at getting one when I had to get a new car. But I don't live in a city where I'm unlikely to need any real power, so I'd pass for now. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Milan Fiori
Vanguard Elite
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Post Count: 14766
Location: Ceresfjellet
715991 Potch
0 Soldiers
7777 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Where exactly do you live Amyral? Most Highway speed limits in the US is 65. So I mean it's not that far fetched. And if you're commuting, you tend to drive when the highways and interstates and such are all busy, meaning that you're not usually doing 70-75 an hour.
_________________
Be awed by our prowess!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Amyral
Windriders
Joined: 18 Sep 2006
Post Count: 1355
Location: Sawgrass Landing
544907 Potch
4066 Soldiers
620 Nation Points
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Milan Fiori wrote: |
| Where exactly do you live Amyral? Most Highway speed limits in the US is 65. So I mean it's not that far fetched. And if you're commuting, you tend to drive when the highways and interstates and such are all busy, meaning that you're not usually doing 70-75 an hour. |
In Oklahoma. One of the major highways is I-35 and has a speed limit of 70 where I live. Another highway I've had to use for work has a speed limit of 75. Some of the highways that run into Oklahoma City and Tulsa have a speed limit of 65, but they tend to jump to 70 fairly quickly outside the city limits because of how spread out everything is in the state. Smaller state highways generally have a speed limit of 65 with city traffic being anywhere between 35 and 50 (generally, 45). Of course, this means the traffic is normally going five miles or so over those speeds.
For the busyness of them when commuting, in general, here, highways really only force drivers to go much slower when there is construction, severe weather, or an accident. Even during rush hour, traffic doesn't often go to 60 mph without one of those things, much less slower. When I worked a 9-5, I had little to no trouble driving at those speeds, even when in the city. Given how spread out things tend to be here, that extra 10 to 15 miles per hour on the highway can make a significant difference.
Also, in general, I also prefer to not have my engine working at max capacity, which would have to happen quite often with that vehicle where I live. It just makes me less comfortable and focus more on the wear and tear of the engine and tires than the road.
It's definitely one of the more promising alternate fuel vehicles out there, even if it looks genuinely horrible. If they could up the power on it to reach practical speeds for highways, I'd be all over it. If I didn't live where everything was spread out so much, I'd be all over it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
