Comments on: Is This Really an Opel Flextreme Prototype Spy Photo?

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:02:58 +0000

I saw the new Malibu with this car on the I-17 freeeway in AZ on 6-3-08. It was with a group of other Saturns and a Pontiac. I have reason to believe that GM is attacking their new Flextreme vehicle program harder and faster than anyone realizes. I would not be surprised to see a whole line of Flextreme vehicles within a couple of years just like their FlexFuel campaign. The entire country has been gearing up for a huge increase in Natural gas production and distribution. With the crude oil commodity market doing what it is now. Don’t be surprised to see $7.50 gallons of gas. It would only make sense to tie our transportation needs with our energy needs and go full electric with our car market.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:39:18 +0000

Jason,

Back over a decade ago a T55 helicopter gas turbine weighed about 750 lbs. Max. continuous rating of 3000hp Takeoff rating of 3750 hp (actually can produce significantly more depending on conditions Trimed at over 4000hp) This isn’t even a really new design.

What do you call a “good” power to weight ratio?

By: bruce g

bruce g — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:48:38 +0000

While I wish the auto manufacturers well in their search for the holy grail of hydrogen powered vehicles I am concerned that it may be like the quest for cold fusion…always just around the corner.

By: Ken Grubb

Ken Grubb — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:12:19 +0000

Is any automaker admitting that their prototype hydrogen vehicles are still costing them well into 6 figures to build?

By: Vinayababu

Vinayababu — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:13:58 +0000

#34 Jason
#37 Guy
Thanks Jason for that info . Even if the claims of Moller is correct ,I feel it will be hard for Wankel engine to make a come back, unless they themselves take up the production . GM’s refusal to take up the Wankel engine , was a major blow to its reliability. It is true that Wankel has perhaps the best power/weight ration.

#35 Joe
There is considerable misunderstanding regarding the power train of Prius. It is not a parallel drive, it is a series-parallel drive or hybrid hybrid drive. It make use of the finer sides of both the drives. and it employs an ingenious epicyclic gear system called HSD that integrates these two drives ( not a Toyota invention). Another point is that there nothing Toyota want to learn from GM on series hybrid technology including software as they have sufficient expertise and data on these.
That make it clear that software development of Volt is not a big issue for GM.
Regarding the new idea mentioned, it is already under study not only by GM but also by other Auto manufactures and some are already in the production stage.

By: N Riley

N Riley — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:13:56 +0000

Nelson #54 & 55

I have seen Honda’s hydrogen generator before. Sounds expensive. Still what do you do for trips? Would work ok for local commutes and short trips, I guess. But, would probably be a major investment.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:13:05 +0000

#27 N Riley
There are other ways to make hydrogen. Honda has worked on a device that can be kept in a homes garage, reformulates natural gas into hydrogen, and that process produces heat which can be used to heat the home. The device is intended to be used to make hydrogen at home for their fuel cell car the “FCX -Clarity”. You can read about it on their website.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:59:44 +0000

By: tom

tom — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:43:58 +0000

WOW

What an active forum.

Plenty of idea’s here.

What about the car that runs on compressed air?
(no fuel, just air pressure like a pneumatic power tool).

Now, what about using regenerative braking to capture electricity (and solar cells) to power a larger battery that would be used to run a compressor (on electricity) to add more compressed air to the tank. (if technically necessary a very small diesel generator could be used to make electricity).

I think there is a prototype out there somewhere of the perfect compressed air “pneumatic” car with a battery to power an electrical compressed to make more compressed air “fuel” as the car uses up what it started with.

Or not….

By: koz

koz — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:16:59 +0000

Grizzly,

I believe you are correct about the oil and it was from leaky seals. This may be more readily overcome with a nearly steady load application like what the Volt requires from its ICE. Obviously this can’t be a gen 1 solution, but I do believe a rotating engine of some sort with eventually win the day. Perhaps it will be a micro-turbine of some sort or some variation of rotary combustion. Since the energy and power requirements for E-REV’s are so much different from a conventional ICE, it won’t be surprising to see a different solution arise. I used to believe the generator should be ignored because battery advancements would render it irrelevent, but I’ve changed my position. I still believe the battery is key and battery advancements, especially lowering prices, will be where the biggest advancements will come. It just appears that enough battery advancement to make the generator irrelevent will take a long time (>10 years). In the meantime, an engine optimized for the application should be developed. I see size (power/cubic centimeter), price, and efficiency the parameters to optimize around.