Aren't there enough brainiacs out there to solve this energy crisis, or is it really all about money?

Question

Okay, so I saw a commercial for the new Honda and it says it only emits clean water vapor, so I got all excited thinking they're finally going to market a car that runs on water. When I looked it up on the internet, though, I saw that is runs on Hydrogen that is in part derived from natural gas, and that there are very few fueling stations that offer it across the United States. I'm sure the fuel is expensive, probably moreso than gas. Plus, excuse me if I'm wrong but natural gas is not a renewable energy source either, is it? I'm just frustrated because I KNOW there are many, many very intelligent people out there who could easily come up with the technology needed to utilize a clean, renewable energy source. I'm sure they could make a decent, nice and affordable fully electric car, for example. Or one that operates fully on water. But I think it's all about greed, and I think that if they did manufacture cars like that, all of a sudden water and electricity prices would skyrocket!

Answer 1

cars don't run on water.

nothing runs on water.

other than a water wheel or hydroelectric generator.

companies that generate electricity buy millions of dollars of coal, oil, and natural gas.

don't you think that if they could use essentially free water, they'd already be doing that?

there are many car companies, in many countries.

don't you think that at least 1 of 'em would make a water car it it was possible?

or do you think there's a huge car conspiracy and none of them will do it?

if you do think that, there's not much else i can say.

considering the number of competing car manufacturers, wouldn't you think that if there were really a cheaper and better way, at least one of 'em would be doing it?

i can assure you that all those car companies employ lots of really smart folks.

they make the cars that people want to buy -- and pay money for.

with the price of gas, you should see better gas mileage pretty soon.

within the next 3-4 years, things will get somewhat better.

but not a lot.

energy is not now, and never will be free.

the price of gas and oil will continue to rise.

you might also keep in mind that gas is really cheap in the US.

the only places where it's cheaper are countries that export oil, and the leaders of those countries need to keep the population happy in order to stay in power.

edit:  <<In 1909 there was a car called the Stanley Steamer that ran on water, but the technology was never further advanced. Most likely the oil companies and the auto manufacturers colluded to see that such a thing wouldn't happen.>>

it didn't run on water. kerosene was used to boil the water to run the steam pistons.  kerosene was the fuel source.

Answer 2

The trouble is, the energy crisis is about - energy. There is not enough energy in things that don't burn to propel vehicles.  Gasoline is especially good for this because it is liquid, and you can produce controlled explosions with it when it is compressed and ignited.  The intermediate solution will be electric propulsion, then electric propulsion charged by solar panels. The long-term solution will be hydrogen propulsion charged by solar panels.  Gas needs to get to the $12 per gallon range in America to make these solutions work.

Answer 3

In 1909 there was a car called the Stanley Steamer that ran on water, but the technology was never further advanced. Most likely the oil companies and the auto manufacturers colluded to see that such a thing wouldn't happen.

During the Great Depression an engineer for the Bowser Pump Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana allegedly invented a car engine that could get 100 mpg or more on a combination of water and gas. Supposedly, the "Big Three" auto manufacturers bought the man's patents, then 'shelved' it.

In 1948, Preston Tucker built about 50 prototypes of a car far advanced in fuel efficiency and safety features. The 'Big Three" auto companies quickly put him out of business.

Auto manufacturers and oil companies don't want you driving a car that will get 100 mpg., nor do they want to build a car that will last 500,000 miles or more. it's not in their best 'interests' (which means they can't make nearly as much money building a durable, fuel-efficient product as they can making cars with built-in "planned obsolescence" features).

Not until they've sucked every drop of OIL from this Earth will oil companies and auto manufacturers start building long-lasting, fuel-efficient cars using alternative energy sources. These bast*rds are in it for the big bucks....and certainly don't give two hoots in h**l about the motoring public.

Only when they can harness and restrict the supply of water or air will these companies promote fuel efficiency.

Oil companies and auto manufacturers are just like cocaine dealers: they get us 'hooked', then demand whatever price they want. May God d**n them ALL!!

-RKO-  06/21/08

Answer 4

Think Heavy Water! That is an energy source. Yes it really is all about money, everyones money and how society works.  A serious major change is going to cause a serious major disruption to a serious lot of people - wow - is this serio....

Answer 5

Really smart people know water can never be a fuel source.

If there were a book called "Water cars are a hoax for dummies", it would say gasoline and ethanol and hydrogen burn. Water doesn't burn! Think about it! A car engine is called an "internal combustion engine". The word "combustion" means burning. As in fire. That term was used to tell the difference betwen that kind of engine and a steam engine. A steam engine is called an "extrnal combustion engine". External means outside. It means the burning happens outside the engine. A fire under the boiler makes steam that is used to push against something, like a piston. In the internal combustion engine, the fire is inside the engine and the hot gas produced by the fire takes the place of the steam and directly pushes the piston.

The scientific reason water cannot be a fuel is that water is in a low chemical energy state. It can take up energy, but not release any. Fire is an exothermic chemical reaction. That is a chemical reaction that produces energy. One kind of fire is hydrogen gas burning in air. The chemical reaction is two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom to make one water molecule and emit some energy. The reverse process is to split the water molecule apart into two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom by adding energy to the molecule. Conservation of energy tells you that it takes just as much energy to split the water as you got from making it. So at best, making hydrogen from water is just a way to store energy. Then later you get energy back by burning the hydrogen; or better yet using it in a fuel cell to make electricity.

Answer 6

Here's the deal. We live in a nation and a society that worships profit and money above all other considerations. This country does not care if people go bankrupt, or have to make a choice between medicine or food, as long as wall street and big corporations make an obscene profit- Our politicians and law makers created the climate for big oil to gouge the public and make record profit at a time of record prices for oil. This has resulted in the economy going south, the dollar losing it's value, inflation growing out control and the super rich getting ever richer and the working class getting ever poorer. The answer to all these problems is very simple- we need to do as Venezuela did- they took the profit motive out of oil and gas by nationalizing the oil companies- the price of gas in Venezuela is now at 12 cents per gallon- we can do the same, but the oil companies are so powerful, they own the congress, there fore they own the United States.

We need to nationalize the oil companies or at the very least turn them into a non-profit utility regulated by the government. Other nations have done this, we need to do it also, before it is too late.

Answer 7

WRONG !!! Fossil fuels are a renewable source of energy . Your Teachers are wrong. Plants have done it for millions of years ,that is where all our fossil fuel came from. Plants recycle CO2 and give us back the O2. The plants keep the C which will break down into oil & gas. It is the plants that capture all the energy from the sun. The plant oil is a pure source of energy and must be oxidized to start the cycle again.