The future of vehicle designs? Your thoughts & ideas.

[Otto]

Tell us how the city crime problems will be solved, before people can be persuaded to move back in.

Also, as the great love affair with the car has to do with personal sense of freedom and innate desire to explore, how will free swimming fishes like me be persuaded to live in the reef?

OTOH, if we get an energy breakthrough such as low energy nuclear reactions (lenr), that changes everything since it makes energy and transportation costs vastly cheaper, simultaneously enabling off-grid life. Ditto alternate energies like natural gas and methane, of which we have a 3,000 year supply in our territorial waters.

Further, lots of people like me work electronically via the internet, so mostly don't have to be any particular place at any particular time, so why would I want to live in the urban jungle, race the rats, and/or eat the dogs?

[user removed]

I thought this thread was about the future of vehicle designs?

[LeanBurn]

Hmmm lets see, at $90K home 30 min commute...or $425K home and a 15 min commute...its not always black and white and city crime as well as other factors can give pause for people to choose a suburb.

As far as Franks "condom" comment goes, I feel those individuals that are for population control/reduction are only vocal because their parents made a choice to not think along the same lines.

I think the future designs will continue as they are trending. S L O W L Y. As long as people are not mandated to have only 2-3 kids there will always be minivans and bigger family haulers. People have vacation trailers, boats and atvs that need towing. As long as they have the freedom to get those things they will exist.

[Frank Lee]

As far as Franks "condom" comment goes, I feel those individuals that are for population control/reduction are only vocal because their parents made a choice to not think along the same lines.

BWAAHAHAHA! Stop it! You're so original- did you think of that yourself?

Enjoy your traffic jams!

[LeanBurn]

Yep, I did.

I see the same 8 or 9 cars everyday on my commute, all belonging to others from other suburbs. I drive right into my work parking stall hitting 1 stop light. I have never been in a traffic jam once....since I moved out of the city.

[Frank Lee]

Well you might want to think again about it since you are waaaay off the mark, and not all that witty besides.

[LeanBurn]

Ditto.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

I thought this thread was about the future of vehicle designs?

Auto industry experts are questioning their future, or at least future growth potential based on changing population patterns. You have this little problem with the automobile depending on roads and destinations. Less so with hovercraft, but hovercraft have no brakes so, I'd rather not see the public attempt the transition.

Originally Posted by Otto

Tell us how the city crime problems will be solved, before people can be persuaded to move back in.

Fact is, with the exception of Detroit most cities of appreciable size are growing in population. The demographics indicate they are young adults which grew up in the safe but boring suburbs. Change the people living in the city, and you change the problems.

Originally Posted by Otto

Also, as the great love affair with the car has to do with personal sense of freedom and innate desire to explore, how will free swimming fishes like me be persuaded to live in the reef?

Sadly the automobile for many is an appliance, a means to an end, and a rather expensive one they would rather do without if they only could. This need for human expression and social interaction or "experience to be had" is real and for many has become the interconnectivity of the Internet.

I don't need to go down to the local bar to chat with my buddies (risking drunk driving). I just sign into Ecomodder and post my comments in a thread hoping someone signifies my little existence with a meaningful reply.

Originally Posted by Otto

OTOH, if we get an energy breakthrough such as low energy nuclear reactions (lenr), that changes everything since it makes energy and transportation costs vastly cheaper, simultaneously enabling off-grid life. Ditto alternate energies like natural gas and methane, of which we have a 3,000 year supply in our territorial waters.

Wars have been fought over lesser changes which threaten the established power brokers. Oil will die when there is no longer money to be made in it, and not a day before. However us perpetual optimists can always dream of a better system and crave Sci-Fi TV shows/movies in the meantime.

I think, or at least hope for a break through in battery technology coupled with a break though in solar power generation. I have dreamt of starting my own company which as a package sells you an electric car along with the solar panels which go on your home to charge it. This would be a game changer, and halt the whole coal powered car argument.

Our homes use about twice as much energy as our cars, as an architect I see an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. I can see spray on soy foam in attics as part of this overall energy plan. Sadly, I'm not the president of the world with the means to implement such a grand plan, but I do what I can in my little corner of the world.

Originally Posted by Otto

Further, lots of people like me work electronically via the internet, so mostly don't have to be any particular place at any particular time, so why would I want to live in the urban jungle, race the rats, and/or eat the dogs?

Working out of your house in an urban environment is even better than the isolation of suburbia for many people. If you are determined to be a recluse, there is not much I can offer you in terms of solutions. I will say that many people find an urban environment stimulating with ever present opportunities and greater social interactions, and feel they live more of life that way.

I can tell you have a very negative opinions of cities, may I suggest you travel more and get out more. Perhaps plan a trip to Toronto or something, take the wife on a vacation. I'm told hotel sex is pretty good.

[Big Dave]

Getting it back to the cars.

Neil posted this in another thread.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post297495

English

The “Jetcar” and the VW 1L (looks similar) are getting on toward what I see as the answer to the long distance (relatively) high speed commuter.

The Jetcar is eye-wateringly expensive because it is a low-volume hand built custom car. It can be made to be less expensive. Pre-bailout Chrysler was working on composite body Dakotas made in Brazil where the body was no more than five fiberglass (for lack of a more common description) sections on a simple steel frame and two rather Spartan doors. Couldn’t be made in the US due to 40 CFR 63. But the idea was showing considerable promise in the very cost-sensitive Latin American market, but the downturn made Chrysler a division of Fiat and the whole idea was dumped.

At any rate, the Jetcar/1L configuration has the undeniable advantages of low frontal area and light weight. These parameters speak loudly to the road load equation.

But they are still single-purpose vehicles and the cost has to be kept low to justify keeping a special purpose vehicle around.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

At any rate, the Jetcar/1L configuration has the undeniable advantages of low frontal area and light weight. These parameters speak loudly to the road load equation.

Call me a dreamer, but the trend of niche vehicle marketing and lower production number cars will continue to the point of limited production runs by major manufacturers of tandem 2-seaters.

My guess, this will happen in just over five years time, with more than one boutique shop beating them to the punch with small diesel, motorcycle engined and electric powered tandem cars.

I think VW will be the first big player, based on their concept cars, but also their world wide presence and record of appealing to young and adventurous drivers. And don't forget how much gas/fuel costs in Europe, a major factor in the political and management mindset of influences in decision making.