[mikeyd]

New hydrogen-powered city car takes to the road - tech - 16 June 2009 - New Scientist
Found this article in New Scientist magazine and found it very interesting as it contains several technologies I hadn't heard of.

YouTube - WWW.GOODNEWS.WS Riversimple Urban Car

Specs are:
weight 772lbs fully fuelled
made from Carbon Fibre and Aluminum
range 185 miles on 2.2lbs hydrogen
Max speed 50mph
Accel. 0-30mph 5.5secs
Motors; 4 motors run from 6kw fuel cell and ultra capacitors.

Most interesting part of the whole car (for me) is use of ultra capacitors.
Apparently huge heavy battery packs will soon be a redundant technology. Ultracapitors are currently used in energy smoothing and momentary-load devices (ie during acceleration in cars), but may soon be used as replacements for batteries. 500 mile range for Teslas may not be far away.
Electric double-layer capacitor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[breinhar]

This made me think of an article I read yesterday about Tesla's Musk saying he wanted to buy a closed plant and pump out 100,000 of his new s sedan. Everyone said that he was a dreamer and he thinks the ideas and hopes someone comes along to figure out how to actually execute them.

Here on the other hand are some people the complete oposite. They are the do'ers. I think it is a very neat and well throught out car. It wasn't just something that looks rediculious and doesnt fit into society at all. It looks like a real car and infacts reminds me of lotus with the front subframe there.

Its technologically beautiful, thanks for sharing.

 

[mikeyd]

... It looks like a real car and infacts reminds me of lotus with the front subframe there.

Its technologically beautiful, thanks for sharing.

I think it looks strangely beautiful too. The egg shape doors are an intersting idea - no collision weak points that need heavy strengthening? The shape of the lights and grill are totally Elise - nothing wrong with that!
Project funding is from Porsche though

A few more details in this clip
YouTube - Debut of British hydrogen-powered Riversimple urban car

 

[Crabman]

The shape of the lights and grill are totally Elise

And the seats, straight out of the Exige.