Precise1 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Check out these articles, pretty amazing stuff. It shows we have the technology, we just have to change some thinking and expectations for reality. While this version is somewhat limited in its usefullness, I see what they are doing here. They are setting the bar as to what is possible. If/when they get these going and learn from them, I suspect more usage friendly variations will come out that only get 150-200mpg. Way to go VW, I truely hope you successfully get these to consumers! The Prius won't be the eco-status symbol any more... http://jalopnik.com/this-is-volkswagens-crazy-awesome-261-mpg-car-328215660 http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110126/CARNEWS/110129912 B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 less batteries to throw away but my question is if a factory begins producing these how green will the factory be?My problem withe the Prius is that the only thing remotely green about it is JUST driving it. Its production (and the production of many other vehicles) creates more emissions than driving your pathfinder for 20 years. And then what happens when you have to replace those batteries every 10 years, those aren't good to dispose of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Much less make in the first place! The nickel foam core it's self travels around the world from mining, refinement, 'foaming' and battery building/installation. I totally agree with the 'just driving it' statement. I have described it as creating all the polution up front, rather than prorated over the mileage/life of the vehicle. If you buy a new Pruis and wreck it in the first 20k miles, you might as well have been driving a Humvee. From years of working in manufacturing, I can say that factories have become a hell of a lot more 'green' over the years, even since your pathy was built. Tighter regulations, more emphasis on efficient manufacturing, recycling and even the energy they use can be from renewable or cleaner sources. I believe it is generally better to reuse than build new unnecessarily, depending on the true overall cost/gain balance. Still, 100km/liter is pretty damn impressive in a vehicle that doesn't look like a needle on bicycle tires. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pav Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Much less make in the first place! The nickel foam core it's self travels around the world from mining, refinement, 'foaming' and battery building/installation. I totally agree with the 'just driving it' statement. I have described it as creating all the polution up front, rather than prorated over the mileage/life of the vehicle. If you buy a new Pruis and wreck it in the first 20k miles, you might as well have been driving a Humvee. From years of working in manufacturing, I can say that factories have become a hell of a lot more 'green' over the years, even since your pathy was built. Tighter regulations, more emphasis on efficient manufacturing, recycling and even the energy they use can be from renewable or cleaner sources. I believe it is generally better to reuse than build new unnecessarily, depending on the true overall cost/gain balance. Still, 100km/liter is pretty damn impressive in a vehicle that doesn't look like a needle on bicycle tires. B Damn and it has the same 0-60 time as a WD21 ... lol I've seen some amazing new technology that removes the need for traditional spark plugs creating a 60% more efficient use of fuel. The technology is out there...the large automaker(s), big oil and government are holding up progress. The greatest barrier to entry is the status quo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Damn and it has the same 0-60 time as a WD21 ... lol Yours is that quick? Yeah, we'd miss the clearance, but the acceleration would be about the same @ 65HP and 1800lbs. Maybe quicker... B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 It even looks good! Not drop dead gorgeous of course but compared to other new cars, that's pretty slick. It might run into trouble with US crash standards though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I did not read your links, but read an article on Top Gear about a 314mpg VW. Assuming it is the same one, I am highly doubtful we would see anywhere near that amount of efficiency in anything developed from it in the USA. The diesel restrictions here are stupid, that powerplant would probably not pass. I know VW is about the only manufacturer with a diesel on the US market, and they barely got it OKed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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