Segway's P.U.M.A.

[The Germanator]

I agree with the ideas that have come about here. Some kind of hybrid is my ideal vehicle, but until I either start making a lot more money or they get cheaper, it's hard for me to consider actually getting one.

Anyway, I don't like the P.U.M.A either. I appreciate the idea behind it, but that execution looks to be a failure. I feel like you're better served getting a bike than something like that.

What does everyone think about the Smart Cars?

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by The Germanator

What does everyone think about the Smart Cars?

I like the Smart Cars. They are under $20,000 fully loaded, made by Mercedes, and for a tiny car they top out at 90 MPH. They are also built around a brilliant orb-like frame that is very safe. My only issue with the car is that the miles per gallon isn't as good as you would expect from a car that small. Combine the idea and technology with a hydrogen cell or lithium battery to pump up the mpg, and you have yourself a small car movement.

It still doesn't meet large car demands, but it has enough going for it to be a second car consideration for most families, I think, especially if families are thinking about buying cars for their kids (used or new).

[KillerGremlin]

Hybrids will catch on when gas starts to really become expensive....that is the conclusion I have reached. Right now gas is still dirt cheap in America. For the majority of people who don't live in LA/sniff their own farts, the intensive to buy a hybrid or electric is null.

[Dylflon]

I think hybrids are a shitty compromise and we could do better. BRING ON THE ELECTRICS!


That said, I would drive the PUMA. Despite being totally lame, it's kind of cool.

[KillerGremlin]

The reality is electric cars can't go very far....they have low horse power.....and they rely on electricity. Most of your electricity comes from dirty coal and isn't all that green in the first place. If the electricity came from renewable sources like solar, wind or water, then it would be win-win. I'm also a proponent of nuclear power, which has become very clean and efficient outside of the US (for some reason the US has some objection to updating our plants). I can't wait till solar cells become more efficient....one day we will have solar cars.

Hybrids are the best of both worlds right now.....you get like 50+ miles to the gallon on the better cars.....

For the record I think hybrid SUVs are dumb.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Dylflon

I think hybrids are a shitty compromise and we could do better. BRING ON THE ELECTRICS!

Electrics aren't the best compromise either, since you have a 50% chance that your electric car is really powered by coal (at least in the US where 50% of all electricity is from coal fired plants).

That, and the battery is a huge issue. 100% electrics have horrible ranges, and while they might get better with time, it will likely take 50 years or more to make a battery powerful enough to power industrial vehicles, trucks and SUV's. The only other way for it to work would be to build a network of electrical " gas stations" across the US, and that would require a massive change in infrastructure, as well as considerations of how long it takes to charge a battery of that size. It takes me 4 hours to charge my lithium ion battery cell phone. I doubt people would be willing to wait that long to recharge.

Thats why I think hybrids (electric/hyrdrogen/carbon combos) are the real future of US travel once costs are reduced and it becomes mass market driven instead of niche market driven. The advantage for your belief, is that hybrids realistically allow for the future development of improved electric technology that could make your ideal fuel more pragmatic over time. Perhaps, if we expanded on this research?

http://www.tfcbooks.com/articles/tws12.htm

We simply can't ignore that our nation (the US) was built around the car, and that puts us at a significant disadvantage when trying to create cars that run on alternative fuels that are marketable in the US.

[KillerGremlin]

Not to mention charging up your electric car takes a while......means you have to leave it in the garage overnight....

[Jason1]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Electrics aren't the best compromise either, since you have a 50% chance that your electric car is really powered by coal (at least in the US where 50% of all electricity is from coal fired plants).

Now wait just a second, that is true to an extent but not entirely. It is true that when you actually plug in the car the electricity could be coming from a coal power plant, I'll give you that. But here is how the Volt actually works for longer distance driving...

Lets say your going on a 200 mile trip. Your car is fully charged before you leave so obviously it will swith over to the gasoline powered engine after 40 miles. But, as soon as it does this, the engine will begin to re-charge the electric motor, so after awhile the gasoline engine will again turn off and the car should be able to go another 40 miles on the electric engine. GM says on a long trip, combining this on and off action of the electric motor, the VOLT should average over 100mpg. That sounds pretty good to me.

[Dyne]

This thread boggles my mind. The companies have done nothing wrong. Why are people getting upset?

From a design perspective the PUMA works. It seems like there's a lot of filling of blanks being done here despite the problem and solution being quite clear cut on the behalf of the developers of electric cars in general.