In the general spirit of "Keith's Great Big Hot Hatch Thread" that he has yet to kick off, I thought a general discussion on the future of fuel source of motorised vehicles, triggered by this article in Autocar by Hilton Holloway, who is normally one of the more informed journos from Autocar anyway. 

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/green-cars/diesel-power-downward-slope

 

I'm not sure I agree that the hybrid in its current concept is the future of urban driving, unless legislation incentivises their use further of course; but a modern high pressure direct injection petrol engine is near as dammit as economical in the real world.

 

Electric vehicles are still hampered by battery technology energy density, or lack of; and the hydrogen fuel cell is still nowhere near commercially viable. Now how about a shale gas dual fuel option? 

Oh the irony...

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/volkswagen-reveals-new-268bhp-diesel-engine

 

More interesting is the DQ511 gearbox. 10 spd and <400lb/ft torque capacity, though quite what you'd do with 10 forward gears is puzzling, the flappy paddles would be in constant use, meaning it would be better left in D or S mode. No thanks.

It'll probably be a mix in the future. Some hydrogen although I suspect that might well fall by the wayside as batteries get better. I've not heard anything new about storage of hydrogen for a while.

 

Biodiesel will probably endure for heavy vehicles, petrol/alcohol hybrids for domestic vehicles.

 

You might see some cities ban everything but electric vehicles from city centre

http://bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30691393

 

http://bbc.co.uk/news/business-30706580

Edited 7 January, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/honda-opens-new-hydrogen-filling-station-swindon

 

http://www.hydrogenclub.co.uk/main

VAG are working on a new form of Bulls...Power source.

 

However, it will be different when applied to each mark -Audi,VW,Skoda,Seat..... sound familiar?

 

stever750 thanks for the reminder.

Edited 7 January, 201511 yr by vrskeith

Edinburgh is getting set to discourage or make it much more difficult for all private passenger vehicles in and around the City Centre with 20 mph limits all around.

The reports say there is already 27 miles of 20 mph Limits.

Also removing free Sunday or Overnight Parking.

 

It is crazy there now with Trams sitting stopped at traffic lights behind Dirty Diesel Taxis, Buses & Cars, vans etc.

City Centre Deliveries & Public Transport should be EV or Hydrogen Powered, 

and a Time Scale set to remove the Polluters & no Permits / licences issued to City Plate Taxis that run on diesel.

Edinburgh is getting set to discourage or make it much more difficult for all private passenger vehicles in and around the City Centre with 20 mph limits all around.

The reports say there is already 27 miles of 20 mph Limits.

Also removing free Sunday or Overnight Parking.

It is crazy there now with Trams sitting stopped at traffic lights behind Dirty Diesel Taxis, Buses & Cars, vans etc.

City Centre Deliveries & Public Transport should be EV or Hydrogen Powered,

and a Time Scale set to remove the Polluters & no Permits / licences issued to City Plate Taxis that run on diesel.

So basically it'll be the Scottish version of Nottingham. Now they just need to charge you to park at work.

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Swindon is near to me ,so I will be keeping a look out for the Honda Management Development Hydrogen cars.

Swindon is near to me ,so I will be keeping a look out for the Honda Management Development Hydrogen cars.

Honda won't develop globally important cars in Europe, their two tech centres are in utsonomiya and North America.

Methane to ethanol at room temperature using 3D printing

http://www.cemag.us/news/2016/06/methane-turns-ethanol-thanks-3d-printed-polymer?et_cid=5342229&et_rid=916553762&type=cta&et_cid=5342229&et_rid=916553762&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cemag.us%2fnews%2f2016%2f06%2fmethane-turns-ethanol-thanks-3d-printed-polymer%3fet_cid%3d5342229%26et_rid%3d%25%25subscriberid%25%25%26type%3dcta