Smug about your 65 mpg
Prius potential? Don't be. A little car from up-start Riversimple looks set to deliver the equivalent of 300 mpg, running on hydrogen and utilizing a network of small fuel cells to power four motors, one per wheel. The recently unveiled prototype manages 240 miles on just 2.2 lbs of hydrogen, has a top speed of 50 mph, seats two (reasonably) comfortably, and looks a little like a smiling, new-age Citroen 2CV -- but will hopefully be a more enjoyable to drive. That considerable range means that the relative lack of hydrogen distribution stations is less of a problem (until you can get one for
your garage), and an estimated monthly lease price of just £200 (about $330) makes it potentially affordable. The only question now is availability of the cars themselves, and since nobody's talking about that you needn't worry about delaying that appointment with your local Toyota dealer.
[Via
TG Daily]
posted Jun 16th 2009 7:53AM
Well, at least it looks happy.
Happy because it just won the ugliest new car award, and happy because it is actually green, not just trying to be liek the electric and the hybrid.
It looks like the bizarre union of a Mazda 3 and and old french car... a Citroen?
And by bizarre union... I mean Harold and Maude.
@myself
Learn to read before posting.
@darkmax
Apart from the fact that it is not that green..... Harvesting hydrogen is very energy intensive and shipping this to fuel stations and then converting it back into electricity is very wasteful. It would be far better to simply send the electricity down the lines to charge a battery.
I wonder how many know who Harold and Maude are? That was a sweet Jag!
@coolblue: Do the separation with solar energy, and with the new tech that makes electrolysis much easier. Green.
Actually wind turbines driving electric generators are the best option for producing the hydrogen.
The problem is, refuelling stations are all owned by oil companies, and they want to use oil / natural gas to produce the hydrogen :(
So anything other than small-scale hydrogen projects - like this company - are an absolute non-starter as far as I'm concerned.
that is the ugliest pile of scrap metal i have ever seen
But my Prius can carry my eight-month-old and her mother and I on the freeway...
holy mother of god that thing is hideous.
And it's a coffin like all other green cars.
A competent team could produce something green that is as safe as a standard car.
being a coffin is part of the whole renewable resources thing dontcha know? When you rear-end a semi because the brakes are better at recharging the battery than stopping the car; they will just bury the whole smoldering mess and you get to feed a tree...
The designers where so disgusted with themselves they couldn't even bring themselves to paint it!
Looks like kjb went to the "buy a tank" school of crappy driving.
kjb,
you're a moron. it uses a carbon-fibre safety cell. it is anything but a 'coffin'.
@Idlemind
I thought that if the regenerative braking was more aggressive that the car tends to brake faster. Am I wrong in thinking this?
I don't understand why your let people think that a 2CV has not an enjoyable drive ?
It's a faboulous car (once you get used to the windscreen being 2 cm from the steering wheel) !
In a nice finish that's not matte... I like it better than the Smart Car....
New Batmobile?
i can think of no manlier car than this to replace the tumbler. this makes that old thing look like an electric scooter in comparison
Now, if they can make it look like a car, it would be AWESOME.
I'd rather have an EV, since they come with home chargers indefinitely and it costs way less to charge than it does to buy hydrogen.
How many mile do you get on a single charge? and how long does it take to fully charge as opposed to the couple of minute to fill this with hydrogen?
You'd be surprised, the hydrogen pumps are around the same price per litre as Petrol (As far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). Also hydrogen is actually green rather than using electricity that's been produced by, wait for it, power stations.
You know, I don't have a single place anywhere near me that has hydrogen pumps. And I am sure not going in install a hydrogen pump at my home either - heh. Unfortunately, this type of fuel has such a hard road to ever become mainstream.
@ Chasethebase
Hydrogen is green where electricity isn't, because it's produced by power stations? Please enlighten me on the process of creating the hydrogen in the first place. Please, look it up, and then take that smug knowitall look off your face.
Methinks the rub would be that one gallon (a kilo) of hydrogen costs a helluva lot more than a gallon of unleaded... Alas I would be wrong...
Why aren't there more Hydrogen cars? Clearly they are superior to EVs. GM was pushing the whole we have a hydrogen fleet thing awhile back and I think Chrysler had theirs too, but I hadn't heard anything more about it until now.
The hydrogen is just an energy medium - you need electricity to make the hydrogen in the first place (currently), and the efficiency of that process means it's better to just bypass that step and stick the energy in electrically stored form directly on the vehicle (batteries).
The reason hydrogen appears appealing at the moment is down to the poor capacity of batteries, in comparison to a kilo of hydrogen, but the overall process makes it less efficient down the entire chain. If we figure a way of making hydrogen efficiently and/or without the use of traditional fossil-fuelled power stations, or if battery capacity significantly improves, then one or the other will start to take a lead.
Google hydrogen car, read up in Wikipedia and so on...there are so many if's and whens and targets and required breakthroughs it makes you dizzy. But if it all works out, good for the oil companies. They can keep pushing (probably liquid) fuel on us and won't go out of business like they would in a world driven by battery electric vehicles where you don't need them anymore.
There are breakthroughs in hydrogen production occurring all the time:
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/070515WoodallHydrogen.html
Hydrogen fuel cells are very good in situations where there is little infrastructure of any kind; deserts, underwater, outer space... Those who are working toward fuel cells are working on the next generation of power BEYOND current hybrid and EV vehicles.
Looks like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.
"Obama Motors"
Hardly the Obama administration recently cut funding to the Hydrogen boondoggle.
That and it's an entirely UK-based project ...
VATICAN SECRETS REVEALED! : Pope mobile runs on ball sweat.
Anyone else think it looks like Darkwing Duck's airplane the Thunderquack?
I have no idea 'cause my memory sucks and I'm too lazy to google, but I still like the thought.
Holy Crap! I knew I'd seen it before! You sir have mad memory skills.
I'm thinking it looks a little more Goofy.
Those tires....THOSE TIRES!!!
Anyway, one motor per wheel? Not a good idea.
It might be a good idea. Efficiency of 1 larger engine is higher than 4 small ones, but think about the mechanical losses in the former; a four-wheel drive needs 3(!) differentials!
Synchronization is another thing, and I don't want to dream of what will happen if one of the engines hickups...
Exactly. Synchronization will be difficult in this.
I think synchronisation will be quite capably provided by the road surface.
Do you have images of one motor/wheel going slow, and another one spinning out? If you put identical amounts of power into two identical motors, they'll spin at pretty much exactly the same speed.
As long as the motors are fine, it's fine. Some motors tend to lock up when they burn out, that would suck.
"Some motors tend to lock up when they burn out, that would suck"
That's what we like to call a 'failure indicator'. How else would you know it's burnt out?
What if it that happens when you're driving at a considerably high speed?
Superhobo: There is no high speed. It's top speed is 50mph with a 90lb driver, going down hill with a brisk tailwind.
Hehe, well, that can still mess up a tire or two.
why are environmentally friendly cars always ugly?
http://www.teslamotors.com/
http://karma.fiskerautomotive.com/
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/112_0809_dodge_ev_quick_drive/index.html
I know what you mean though.
If they could get this thing to go 70-75 mph, and sell a little hydrogen plant to put in your garage with it, these would sell like hotcakes. Until then sadly it will be a fail.
If they put a small diesel engine in there. It would also compete easily.
However in a head on collision I think I would be happier in a Prius and a bit less dead.
Rubbish.
It uses a carbon composite safety cell. It should be safer than a Prius.
when they make these concept cars they should make them look appealing. No-ones gonna buy this cos it looks like it came straight out of a kids toy box. People like the look of fossil fuel cars, with the bonnet and boot and dash and what not. James may (on top gear) showed a hydrogen car a couple years back and it had no dash or bonnet. The windscreen went all the way to the floor.
If they made hydrogen cars, or electric cars, look like actual conventional cars, then they would be more succesful. 300mpg or not, i'd be more inclined to buy a car if it looks nice.
But, i guess i have to give them some credit, people have to become more aware of the alternatives to fossil fuels, and governments have to start investing into R&D in these areas. At the moment, they seem to be letting private investors do all the work and thats just not good enough.
It may turn your friends green, but I doubt it'll be envy that's the cause.
The lines are somehow reminiscent of a very pricey, very classic car from Europe who's name and full story escape me at the moment...
'lil help, classic car buffs?
@ strider,
You may be talking about the BMW Isetta 300 1957, not sure, could be the one you are thinking about.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1950-1959/1957-BMW-Isetta-300-red-fa-lr.jpg
Maybe?
http://store.encore-editions.com/Gift/clascar30.html
There must be an upgrade package featuring green paint and two antennae for the hood.
What's not enjoyable about a Citroën 2CV? It's one hell of an enjoyable car to drive!
It does kinda look like a pitcher of grape Kool-Aid... OH YEAAAAAAHHHH
Invisible flames included for no extra charge.......
This thing is most likely the Pinto of hydrogen vehicles.....
So how much does 2.2 lbs of hydrogen cost?
I feel like some guy in a dark jumpsuit and cape should drive this, with a top hat, monocle, and cane with crystal ball on the top.
try to copy Bugatti 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic??? try again..........lol
Reminds me of the Adobe the car made of clay from SNL
This looks like something that Robin of Batman & Robin would drive.
Can somone say Hindenburg? 2.2 lbs of gas can be pretty explosive...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kknU6cpKWL0
GM has created compressed hydrogen tanks which deform grossly in a collision, and can reseal themselves. They can pretty much handle whatever you can throw at them in your typical automobile.
Also, anything with sufficient potential energy to drive a car is capable of producing violent damage in a bad enough collision. Even a wind-up spring big enough to drive a car would be extremely dangerous if it let loose suddenly.
Quantum Technology supplies hydrogen tanks to the US military that can survive being hit by .50 rounds.
I would not drive it to my house, I would not, could not, with a mouse.
It is kind of hideous....but in a good way. I would love to have one!
What a ridiculous piece of garbage. It's funny how the crowd who rants about US automakers producing "cars nobody wants" is, in reality, the very same crowd advocating and building cars that nobody wants. $330 a month for a 50-mph top speed in a tiny little POS? No thanks.
It's so ugly, but I guess it's more about function over form.
the original cnet article quotes the cost of fuel as 25 cents per mile. So... about $7.50 to travel what Americans pay between $2 and $3 per gallon for.
seems astronomically expensive. your cute green mini batmobile is dead in the water imho.
It doesn't look too bad...
Top speed of 50? Better not try to sell that thing in New Jersey. You have to do better than 50 just on the on-ramps here.
I would sooner rape mother earth and /or destroy the planet than be seen driving that.
I would have thought that the most interesting point for us Engadget readers is that the car engineering and design is open source!
I'm not entirely sure I like the look of it (though at least it's interesting) but I'd love to see this thing being a success.