While reading Hercs article of "powerballs" (http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2388) and a few other articles from various magazines stating how GM plans to have their fully hydrogen powered car out in 10 years, and the availability of oil going down, I was wondering what is going to happen to the gasoline combustion engine. In one article from the magazine Wired it stated that the car was as different as the horse and buggy, and the hydrogen powered car is going to be that much different.

That has me kinda worried. When I get my RX-8 I don't want to buy it only for gasoline cars to be a thing of the past in a few years after purchase. While it would be interesting to see cars like in the movie Minority Report, i would like to have the free-spirited drive in a true sports car.

I dunno, I was just thinking earlier. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Strider-

Here is one of the articles from Wired (http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,57578,00.html)

Strider-

I personally think we will get something like diesel cars. Although there will be more hydrogen cars in the future, I think there will still be good old internal combustion as well

Just my opinion

who says we (Mazda) wouldn't have an internal combustion H^2 powered car??? rotary power, anyone?? :)

Uhm you didn't read my post... the powerballs are used in an application for a hydrogen COMBUSTION engine. Not some fuel cell crap :)

No power in those, as BMW quickly found out.

Originally posted by Hercules
Not some fuel cell crap :)

No power in those, as BMW quickly found out.

Fuel cells can produce enough electricity to power a building - so I wouldn't say there is "no power in those." Some hotels, police and fire stations are powered by fuel cells. Methanol has a very high energy, even at room temp. Assuming 50% efficiency, a low estimate, 250 mL of methanol can produce around 600 watt-hours of electricity.

This being said, I don't personally see fuel cells as a viable alternative to the combustion engine. Electric motors are very powerful (loads of torque) but they are also very heavy. The other issues brought up in different posts (fragility, freezing and cost of the cell) are currently be researched by numerous academic institutions. I don't, however, see a solution to lighten the magnets in the motor. Fuel cells will shine as an alternative to the battery (cell phones, computers, etc.)

There are too many downsides to the fuel cell than upsides, at least for a car. Considering they are made of platinum and other expensive metals, they are VERY VERY EXPENSIVE. To recharge a fuel cell takes HOURS, not minutes. And also with an electric motor the cars will weigh over 4000+ pounds, even for teeny ones.

precisely

and who wants a 10lb cell phone? 4.0 oz is too heavy as it is

the niftiest things are the TINY solar bateris that a company i cant remember the name of is/has developed for numerous generic phone designs, saw a prototype on an OLD nokia, kinda the shape of a v120e from motorola, thing was light (if not lighter) as a normal battery and would last for "ever".

another good idea would be an eco-drive type thing for cells.....


off topic? lol
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By bad Herc, I worded my question wrong. What I think I was also trying to ask is about the future of cars going away from gasoline, not just fuel cells.

Originally posted by P00Man
and who wants a 10lb cell phone? 4.0 oz is too heavy as it is


A fuel cell powered cell phone would weigh next to nothing. Fuel cells can be fabricated into circuit boards using MEMS techniques - completely eliminating the heavy batteries. Also, these integrated power sources can provide 1 to 2 orders of magnitude more energy capacity and power than the leading thin film technology batteries.

Strider, don't worry about any forced obsolesence of your soon-to-arrive RX-8. The winds of change are approaching, but at a snail's pace.