Whilst building up another batch of shift lights, I listened to the latest announcement from Japan (Nismo - Nissan) , can be listened to here http://audio.rpix.org.uk/specials/2013/2013_nissan_zeod.mp3 and a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu-v1obH_k0&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLtElEI41NT-nB MCenVh4YvIXSt3wiudp3. They claim they are going to create a new world record next year at Le Mans, being the first ever lap of Le Mans at racing speeds using 100% battery power. The car does use a IC engine as well, but this is used to charged the battery... Listen and watch those links for yourselves and decide if this is the future or not.

I am all for electronic technology, it's my passion after all, but I can't help feeling that cars using IC engines to power the wheels will be seen as "dirty" in the future , now you need to know just how "dirty" batteries are to make and recycle , many a website has covered this already. Not only that but the "lack" of sound for street use could well indeed lead to more accidents, instead of the "sorry I did't see you", you will get "sorry I didn't hear you "

Personally I think they should be investing in Hydrogen cell power instead, I am well aware of the difficulties and costs of extracting from say water, but hydrogen is by far the most common element in the universe, I am sure the bloke who first worked out that a circle might made a good idea for rolling along the ground had hurdles to overcome, I see the hydrogen issue in the same league.

Nismo were due to run the car at this years Le Mans, but it never happened. Being a radical entry it is competeing in the garage 56 rules, the ACO's version of "anything goes"

What do you reckon then?.

Battery power - Non starter
Hydrogen - If they can solve the extraction from water problem - unlikely anytime soon
Cold fusion - for the cars of the future in our dreams, needs another Einstein to finalise the design details.
Petrol power - if you want to get anywhere by car for the next 50+ years
Diesel power - The smelly Farmers tractor favourite - also ran
>
Be nice to see something radical used for fuel - can't see it myself, the oil companies would prevent it happening.

The days of oil giants stamping out new tech has long gone, I assume you have seen the docu "who killed the electric car" from some years ago, those days are over. The "green" brigade have won that battle, wether or not you sign up for that stuff... Hydrogen cars do exist, but the issue is cooling the fuel before atomisation, this is the bit that is difficult at the moment.

Milk floats have used batterypower since I was a kid - 50 years to get where we are with battery power cars isn't progress by my estimation.
Hydrogen does have potential I agree but free fuel [from water] for everyone ain't gonna happen anytime soon the Gov't will see to that - look at all the oil fuel taxes they'll lose. A good example would be North sea oil, we were Oil self sufficient for many years, but did we get cheaper fuel than the rest of the world - nope, Gov't absorbed all the savings as tax, same willl happen with Fracking and the gas it produces, will be taxed and all the benefits will go to the Gov't not into lowering our energy bills, which they currently have all the green sheep believing.
I'd like to hibernate for 100 years or so, and see where the world is on this subject on re-awakening

You are under estimating the power of the consensus, your veiws were applicable in the 1980's, but not now. , whist I appreciate that Gov's will have lost revenue, they will only make up some rubbish to charge for hydrogen, I am not a tree hugger , far from it, I use solid fuels everyday and I have just swapped to solid fuel to heat my house, so sod the green brigade, The topic was batteries, so I can't see that replacing liquid fuels anytime soon either, you need to charge batteries - the power from which comes from solid fuel burning power stations, we havn't even got the guts in this country to fully comit to nuclear power. Japan's disaster has not helped that cause however, but we now know why the backup generators failed in the first place, so issues such as that should be taken care of.

Hydrogen is closer than you think

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/toyota-hydrogen-car-fuel-cell-hybrid-vehicle-2013- 08-30

Westy
Of course UR right, still like to return in 100 years though

How can you even mention such a subject on here ?

Because if we are to believe Nismo's claims, then you will all be driving them in 50 years time, my point was to ask the question and give my own ideas, no banging my head on a brickwall needed.

I bloody hope not

WTF!
Thought i had logged in to the wrong forum
There is NO 7-DNA in that other power

So sorry for posting a topical subject.

Westy, I think you'll find Hatter is being Ironic!

I was hoping to bring some chat to this otherwise quiet forum, folks need to get with the 21st century and look at what these companies are developing for you. I don't want to drive a duracell powered car either, so what else is there?, hydrogen is one, anyone...?.

You need to get yourself down to some historic meetings, and sniff those fumes! Absolutely glorious Petrol will still be here for as long as I am, after that I'm not sure I care! Anyway, we've all got at most, maybe 20 years left, before driving will be strictly monitored & controlled by computers, so make the most of it while you can, as the future will be bleak!

Oz.