New Fuel Cell concept vehicle from MB
- Thread starter smartbrabus
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Thmsshaun
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Good read thanks.
Some interesting comments too
Hmm and fuel will run out much quicker with Maff going on drives to Budapest lol.
What about gas though that will always be available?
As for hydrogen not sure if and when it will become affordable / available but the technology interests me. The thing is the oild companies will never develop anything cheaply whilst there is still oil to sell. Develop it in the background raise prices then when its about to run out present the alternative.
Some interesting comments too
Hmm and fuel will run out much quicker with Maff going on drives to Budapest lol.
What about gas though that will always be available?
As for hydrogen not sure if and when it will become affordable / available but the technology interests me. The thing is the oild companies will never develop anything cheaply whilst there is still oil to sell. Develop it in the background raise prices then when its about to run out present the alternative.
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It's clever but I still prefer the idea of 100% electric, I know it's not everyone's idea of fun but electricity should always be available no matter what happens to fossil fuels etc.
The main problem with any hybrid on the market right now is that the electric parts are recharged by fossil fuel parts. Run out of fossil fuels and the hybrid still becomes junk.
The main problem with any hybrid on the market right now is that the electric parts are recharged by fossil fuel parts. Run out of fossil fuels and the hybrid still becomes junk.
smartbrabus
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Yes, thank f*** we don't all drive CL65s!
For some reason I though Hydrogen could be produced fairly simply from water... ok its going to take some energy to break the H2 from the Oxygen, but less than refining crude oil, one would have thought?
Any chemists in our midst?
We are going to start seeing direct methanol fuel cells replacing small batteries in the next few years, to power mobile phones, laptops etc... With existing technology, a few cc's of lighter fluid will provide power for a laptop for 12 hours...
For some reason I though Hydrogen could be produced fairly simply from water... ok its going to take some energy to break the H2 from the Oxygen, but less than refining crude oil, one would have thought?
Any chemists in our midst?
We are going to start seeing direct methanol fuel cells replacing small batteries in the next few years, to power mobile phones, laptops etc... With existing technology, a few cc's of lighter fluid will provide power for a laptop for 12 hours...
There's at least one Mercedes / Citaro badged fuel cell bus around in London - quite funny when you see it moving off with a huge plume of steam coming out directly above "Zero Emissions" in enormous letters! Perhaps if they'd used a smaller font there would have been room for "harmful" or similar in the middle 
Lazarus
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smartbrabus said:
Wash your mouth out!
jeremytaylor
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Shude said:
Yes,you are right. I am sure that it won't be too long before every house has its own mini wind turbine with photo voltaic cell fixed to the chimney, alongside the satelitte dish.
If every house had one it would massively reduce our use of fossil fuels, and you could plug your electric (MB) car in every night to charge up. Of course, you would have to have a speaker under the bonnet playing the noise of an AMG V8!
Thmsshaun
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jeremytaylor said:
LOLjeremytaylor said:
I often thought about doing something like that and have often looked up various solar configurations but without spending serious £££'s it is hard to get any real useable level of power beyond a portable TV etc.
Also if there was a 'cheap' battery only powered vehicle available then I would buy it.
smartbrabus
Active Member
Solar power on its own is a false economy in this country, very difficult to recoup the purchase cost of the panels, as you say. However, somewhere with plenty of sun like Australia or the Sahara desert, could be worthwhile (eventually)!
A couple of nuclear power plants would suffice, although not at every house I accept...jeremytaylor said:
http://www.goingreen.co.uk/Thmsshaun said:
Not pretty but it's the cheapest overall cost of ownership car available right now. No congestion charge, no road tax, cheap insurance, zero fuel tax (electric). <1p/mile average cost. List is £8k.
The only thing it's lacking is range!
Shude said:http://www.goingreen.co.uk/
Not pretty but it's the cheapest overall cost of ownership car available right now. No congestion charge, no road tax, cheap insurance, zero fuel tax (electric). <1p/mile average cost. List is £8k.
The only thing it's lacking is range!
Aah ... that's what I saw in Woking town centre the other day. Very old technology (6V lead acid batteries), hence the low price and low performance/range. OK for inner city use, I guess.
Thmsshaun
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Shude said:A couple of nuclear power plants would suffice, although not at every house I accept...
http://www.goingreen.co.uk/
Not pretty but it's the cheapest overall cost of ownership car available right now. No congestion charge, no road tax, cheap insurance, zero fuel tax (electric). <1p/mile average cost. List is £8k.
The only thing it's lacking is range!
If I were living in London then I think that would be a serious option.
For any bus fanciers
Snapped by me on Waterloo bridge in June. In cold weather it looks like a steam train when it pulls away!
Snapped by me on Waterloo bridge in June. In cold weather it looks like a steam train when it pulls away!
Thmsshaun
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That must have been a few quids worth. Who paid for that? Are there any details on it anywhere?
There's a bit of info. here, they are £750,000 each!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3391507.stm
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/fuel-cell-buses.asp#spec
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3391507.stm
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/fuel-cell-buses.asp#spec
glojo said:
What teamwork!
wallingd
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Hey I'v always wanted to see one of thm - hung about on Oxford Street when was down there in June waiting to see a 25. Didn't know they did the RV1 Westminster route as well!
Yes, leeds city council owns two of them but they have to go to london for servicing etc (presumably on a truck).Thmsshaun said:
I like those little electric things though, I saw a show on tv a while ago that featured a bloke who had a porsche 996 and one of those electric cars and he reckoned the electric thing was more fun
. He also got it charged up for free when he ran out of juice near a pub and bought a coffee while it charged etc; try that with petrol! If I could get an electric car with a range of about 100 miles then I'd be happy (my commute is about 70 miles per day).
