link here

too good to be true

 

it really is

 

are those OZ's?

 

It uses front electric driver for "punch", but not for cruising, so it doesn't need batteries, but Ultra-caps (see Maxwell Technologies for information, they make caps with more energy density than batteries). And a little diesel that runs the rear wheels.

To make it even more efficient, you'd use a tiny deisel that didn't power any wheels, just a generator to charge batts/caps, then the deisel could run at it's most effecient RPM.

Anyway, it's good to see some outside of the box thinking, and someday we'll get the benefits at either a more performance with good milage, or better milage for similar performance. Too bad that the auto industries are more interested in maximizing current profit per operational dollar than best path to better technologies...

Oh the curses of market economies!

Matt

 

Great story and awesome car.

 

They say the fumes smell like "Fries" so all you need to do is put some "vinegar" in the washer fluid, that would remind me of "Fish N' Chips"

 

tends to be from making the biodiesel from left over fast food oils. Better filtering/purification can reduce it significantly...

But don't go thinking that growing corn (lots of land, lots of pesticides) to create biodiesel is a good way to wean our nation from oil. The numbers just don't support it.

But you CAN make bio-diesel work on the margin.... A good example would be a waste cooking oil company partnering with a local bus fleet or delivery van company to process what is currently waste into fuel.

Matt

 

Sign me up . I'm with Dr Obnxs. There is still room for improvement but this is one great feat. I've been waiting for someone to finally get ultracap's working well in hybrid systems. This also means that regenerative braking can provide nearly all braking force as capacitors can charge much faster than batteries.

 

Wouldn't mind that as a commuter, then I can save the MINI for the real fun oil burning on the weekends