Question about electric / alternative fuel based cars?

Question

Will these cars like hydrogen, electric, air, and any other alternative based cars ever be able to be as god as our older cars. By being as good i mean: powerful engines, long trips, and affordable? Do you see this happening in the next 10years?

Answer 1

With electric there's no doubt.  We've already got the Tesla Roadster, which is better than almost any gas car, although it's far more expensive than most (to be fair, it is a sports car).  We're also starting to see some affordable highway speed EVs come to market now.  Within 10 years electric cars will be popular enough that the production will increase which will make prices come down.

http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/electr...

Hydrogen definitely not within the next decade.  That technology has major issues which may never be resolved, but at the soonest maybe in 20 years.

http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/hydrog...

Air cars probably won't be as good as gas cars because they're essentially inefficient electric cars.  The difference is that instead of storing the electricity in a battery and powering a highly efficient (~90%) electric motor, they use it to power an air compressor, and then use the compressed air to mechanically push a piston.  This process is less efficient because mechanical engines like this lose energy as heat.  Thus few auto makers will put much research and development into this technology, because they'd rather focus on the more promising electric vehicles.

Answer 2

Heck yeah.  They'll be way better.   In fact, you'll look back at the silly old gas engine and wonder why we didn't dump it years before.

Remember hotrodders will get involved with any new technology.  Look what they did to electric cars 8 years ago -- would you consider this car fast enough for you?

http://www.dragtimes.com/Mazda-RX-7-Time...

How about a car that has a small jet turbine and kicks down about 60mpg on long road trips?

Heck, how about you just drive your car onto a transcontinental train, go take a sleeping car while the train goes 120mph and you don't even need to drive?

How about a basic electric for $8000, and then you just rent a car at ZipCar or Hertz when you need a long haul?   You can buy that today in fact.

Answer 3

They already exist. Ford made them up until 2004. I have 2 of them, a Crown Victoria and an F-150 pickup truck. They both run only on natural gas (methane), and you'd never know the difference. Natural gas is super cheap and way cleaner for the environment than gasoline. We just need to get Ford to start making them again and get more filling stations for them. Some states have plenty of places to fill up with natural gas and some have none at all. You'll have to get your local or state government to get on the ball and get some incentives in there so it will work. It's a great feeling to drive down the street and use absolutely no gasoline at all. Also, the USA has lots of natural gas, so you don't have to buy it from foreigners...   :)