How to prolong the life of your petrol-engined car!

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well, in a sense, it can, at a price...

I am not so sure. The thought of filling up for a couple of quid is attractive, and lets face it, it need not be every night.

I think not Dave.

Not the engine itself. Definitely lighter vehicles though, and better management of power. But these are only stopgaps.

The physics of heat engines make it hard to exceed more than 50% efficiency even in a huge stationary heat engine like a power station.

I've been over and oer this in my mind, and done a fair bit of research.

And teh answres are starng you in teh face. the ONLY technology that makes sens right now, to be ready in 10-15 years tme, is LIPO battery vehicles and nuclear generating sets.

Plus a smattering of hydrogen where extreme energy density and portability is needed.

And probably a bit of biodiesel to run the war machines on.

[The Natural Philosopher]

poor energy density, and expense.

Lead acid is cheap as chips, and safe, and reliable.

Its just naffing heavy.

Nickel is not that much lighter, and is more expensive by a long chalk.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Indeed. That seems to be his claim.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Precisely.

Even the most naff of electric motors I have can usually be persuaded to hit 50% efficiency.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Th reality is that if you find taht fuel is cheap - and if it wer taxed appropiatlety it would be - simply e.g. poarking te car in te supermarket and hooking up before you do teh shoppping, would net you a topped up car.

Likewise the train car park, or the airport, or even pull up at the kerb and use the parking meter/charger etc etc etc.

I don't know what your usage pattern is, but I used to fill up weekly -

300 miles a week was my pattern. Now its more like once a month :D

Thats hardly a serious problem for anyne - one over night charge onec a week.

Its ideal fr more rural users who have off street parking.

I agree that in the urban context, on street parking with an extension lead is a pain. But exchange charged batteries would be relatively simple, although pretty heavy even so to constantly replace.

I think more in lines of a 'park and ride and charge' car park type thng, or teh supremarkets. The weekly shop vbecomes the weekly charge.

[IMM]

I don't claim anything at all.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[IMM]

This is the most ridiculous thing I have read on this ng. These batteries are not AAs.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[John Rumm]

The sad reality is that you already fill up for a few quid... the bulk of the extra cost you pay is tax. You can soon see some bright spark of a chancellor decreeing that electricity used for cars will be taxed at

300%...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Well, yes, but we're nowhere near 50% on the average car engine yet - especially under light loading.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

[The Natural Philosopher]

..and how would he know that?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Course it is if it develops 5% of the power...

Put a 20:1 box on it and HEY PRESTO. IT HAS ASMUCH TORQUE AS THE BIGGER ONE!!!

You have to imagine youreself into dIMMwits brain. Its all so simple in there.....;-).

No, he doesn't but I do.

My guess is they won't.

My guess is they will. In combiantion with nucler power and a few sops to the greens in terms of windfarms over essex etc.

Or possibly the new saphions - a bit heavier, but a bit safer and more abuseable.

>

[The Natural Philosopher]

Exactly., And its very hard to get there. Thats one of the reasons the hybrid has some promise - run the engine where its efficient, or shut it down.

Hard to say what an electric can do efficiency wise. At best rated state, over 95% is on, but at part throttle is a lot more problematic. Of course at traffic lights they use nothing at all.

But my guess is that the overall fossil fuel to power station to transmission loss to battery loss to controller loss to motor loss is better than IC, but not hugely.

The real gains come if you don't burn fossil fuels in the power generating sets. And on the streets which are quieter and cleaner.

[John Rumm]

Aproved charging sockets that print a receipt for charge delivered (and upload this information and bill electronically), coupled with onboard monitoring by the car that tracks the total charge used. Tee two sets of records could be cross checked at MOT time (or failing every time that you drive past a road side beacon) and the difference charged to you.

[IMM]

All they need is introduce Land Value Tax and no need for this Tomfoolery.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Capitol]

I see that there is a belief in perpetual motion in NW5!!

LOL Regards Capitol

[IMM]

Yes those Japs around Gospel Oak are at it.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account

[Capitol]

This of course is what was proposed for Zinc/air batteries in the

1960's. I haven't seen any other worthwhile low cost battery solutions in the intervening years. Power electrics changes very slowly, I doubt we'll see worthwhile electric vehicles in the next 25 years.

Regards Capitol

[Capitol]

You are not allowed to airfreight larger Lithium batteries because of the explosion risk!

I doubt it, say 22M households = 30 M cars. 270M extra KW required overnight. I suspect we might need a few new real power stations, not wind generators.

Regards Capitol

[Dr Evil]

An onboard freewheeling piston Stirling for recharging is the way. Small and highly efficient.

_________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download

to open account