4 ms·

I'm curious to see the real prototype engine they're getting out this year. Basically: This is only appropriate for use in hybrid engines, as the range of effi

• lutorm 16y ago
  It sounds like it has the same disadvantages as a gas turbine, then. It would have been helpful if they had contrasted it to a gas turbine instead of to a piston engine. Theoretically, a gas turbine has huge advantages over a normal ICE. Yet, there aren't any cars powered by gas turbines...
  • gte910h 16y ago
    They're not trying to redo the distribution of fuel over the US. That's the issue with anything like a turbine running on gas suffers.
  • rosser 16y ago
    It's only a concept car, but Jaguar's C-X75 is twin gas-turbine charged and electrically powered. http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/09/jaguar-c-x75-concept-all-wheel-drive-jet-turbine-electric-supercar-fromjag-updated-with-video.html http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/09/jaguar-c-x7...
  • clammer 16y ago
    Probably because the exhaust would burn anyone that walked by your tail pipe. Otherwise, they'd make effective range extending generators.
  • eftpotrm 16y ago
    That's significantly because turbines have vastly worse throttle response than reciprocating piston engines though. This does look like nothing more than a new turbine design, I agree, but frankly a turbine driving a generator and a battery is by far the most energy efficient means of running a vehicle from a combustion fuel source anyway; that's been the case for years, and if this tech helps get us to that point then all the better.
  • joe_the_user 16y ago
    There are gas-turbine powered buses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DesignLine_Corporation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DesignLine_Corporation Sadly, they don't seem to have taken the market by storm even though they claim to double to fuel efficiency of a 40 ft bus. Unless fuel prices go up significantly, factors other than fuel efficiency will probably stand in their way (questions of reliability and supply chain are mentioned).
  • frankus 16y ago
    Gas turbines have by far the best power-to-weight ratio of anything short of a rocket motor. And large gas turbines can be extremely efficient. But they're expensive and the efficiency advantage largely disappears as they're scaled down to a size appropriate to power a car. Probably the fundamental reason we don't see production gas turbine cars is that there are cheaper and less technically risky ways to remove weight from a car, and weight savings often isn't even the cheapest way to improve efficiency.
  • tzs 16y ago
    Chrysler experimented with gas turbine cars, to the point of consumer trials: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Turbine_Car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Turbine_Car
  • wolever 16y ago
    Aren't any cars… But there is a motorcycle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTT_Turbine_Superbike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTT_Turbine_Superbike
• Zak 16y ago
  Basically: This is only appropriate for use in hybrid engines, as the range of efficiency is very narrow. It seems to me that such an engine could work well for direct propulsion with a good CVT. Perhaps someone more educated on the issue can comment.
• igrekel 16y ago
  It actually reminded me of another turbine-like engine I had seen a while back. They had tested it on chainsaws where the reduced vibration was desirable. I guess hybrid applications are mentioned because its trendy. I'm sure there are tons of other potential applications, just can't chase everything. Google helped me find it again, the pictures and animations are at the bottom http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca/ETheoryQTConcept.htm http://quasiturbine.promci.qc.ca/ETheoryQTConcept.htm