Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
Aerohead:
I agree 100% with your criticism of road design.
I just believe that you can also eliminate the effects of bad road design, by incorporating high efficiency, simple, lightweight, virtually unlimited life expectancy, power train components to vehicles without extensive redesign.
In doing so you would make them less expensive, more reliable, and a lot more efficient.
Consider the most accomplished hypermiler on the planet. Their actions follow a totally predictable, and understandable pattern. The results are very predictable and repeatable.
Incorporate those techniques into the design of the vehicle itself, and you will have the "peoples car" of this century, instead of a tribute to the poor designs of the last century.
regards
Mech
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Mech,looked at your two posts.Thanks.
The thread is just a thought experiment to explore technical abstractions.
The hybrids are an attempt to compensate for the inefficiencies of the infrastructure.And I applaud them.We need the 'bridge.'
This morning I went with a friend to by a Prius.And while I was at the dealer,I laid on their nice marble floors staring up at the under belly of both the Toyota and Honda hybrids.
The Koenigsegg got my attention because of its windshield and roofline and because of all the single commuters driving to Dallas and back each day who wouldn't ride a motorcycle,won't buy an 'economy' car,etc.,but would drive a 'race' car,or something with the appearance of a race car.
With a tapering body,side collision protection could be maintained.Aero would be a quantum leap.Made of steel,they could be stamped out by the hundreds of thousands.Sold as 'strippers' with accessory options,they could be sold as cheap as any entry level Kia,Hyundai,etc..
My morning convinced me that the hybrid powertrain requires no more under hood space than conventional IC.
Hybrid drive could be an option or just put it in all the cars and let economies of scale take care of the cost?
I would still pursue infrastructure improvements.The money is there.It just goes up in invisible smoke each year.