Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Got to solve lots of other problems with batteries: they have to be charged. Whence comes the energy to charge the batteries? Big energy loss between generation, recharging and use in vehicle. Unless we go to broadly used and widespread newkular (yes, that's the way he says it!) fusion generating plants, more energy will be used by battery-driven cars than by today's direct use of gasoline. Same problem with hydrogen motors: enormous amounts of energy required to produce hydrogen. Seth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Laurel" <jplaurel@spectare.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2006 2:39 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Further adventures of a completely screwed up guy: longand occasionally on topic > You're absolutely right, Don. And no of the alternative energy sources > will be "cost effective" or "economically viable" until all the oil is > gone. So I say burn as much now as you like. the sooner the oil is > gone, the sooner we'll get alternative energy. > > If you ever wanted a real fire-breathing car that runs on gasoline, now > is the time. The new BMW M5 has a 507hp V10, sequential manual gearbox > with paddle shifters, goes to 60 in 4.1 seconds (per Road and Track's > recent review) and with the limiter removed, hits 204mph. > > Burn it up now because between the time when the oil gets scarce and when > battery technology really improves, we are headed for a period of > extremely boring cars. (think Toyota Prius) The light at the end of the > tunnel is that pure electric cars have much greater performance potential > than combustion-engined cars. But the energy storage problems have to be > solved first. > > --Jim > > On Jan 29, 2006, at 11:23 AM, Don Dory wrote: > >> Seth, >> I get the feeling that if we want to drive something resembling a car in >> ten >> years or so, then the first manufacturer to figure out how to cut 1000 >> lbs >> or 450 Kilo's from the current automobile will win a large slice of >> market >> share. Less weight means a smaller power source which opens up new >> technologies for similar performance. Even with an IC engine less mass >> means less power inputs required for similar performance. >> >> As the oil producing states become a little more radical, and as the >> world >> demand for cheap energy grows, traditional hydrocarbon inputs will >> become >> very expensive. Up to now, the western world has been very resistant to >> cutting back on life style, but has instead found alternative ways of >> doing >> things. We will see if the Western world is still up for challenges or >> whether the baton will be passed on to other cultures. >> >> Don >> don.dory@gmail.com >> >> >> On 1/29/06, Seth Rosner <sethrosner@nycap.rr.com> wrote: >>> >>> Frank is factually right; BUT - regulatory requirements have added a >>> huge >>> weight penalty to every automobile produced today. Crash-ability, >>> bump-resistant bumpers, airbags (that entail electronics, motors and >>> bags... >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >