Packard Forum Index » General

John, regardless of the current discussion around hybrids I would like to invite you to a time travel 100 years back to ask an US-American if he believes that his powerful national economy at some remote future date could be dependent on the mood of desert nomads. He probably would have laughed. Let us again fly 100 years back in time to tell the captain of one of these magnificent Mississippi steamboats about the weakness of his nickelplated and house-high engine. He probably would have burst into laughter. Our last time leap goes to a stagecoach, drawn by six gorgeous horses, to tell a proud carter that in our time vehicles with less than 200 hp are popular among elders ...




I think that the controlled combustion is a technology to bridge the gap to the next generation of energy production. To burn our resources in our days lacks of any kind of science aesthetic. We are able to do more and better. The awkwardness of early attempts ? la Dauphine Kilowatt, the smog in Hanoi, the biblical scale of industrial disaster in Fukoshima are milestones which will help us to find other ways. I'm neither an eco-warrior nor a technophobe but have eyes to see that we have reached a blind alley or, more positive, that we are on the cusp of what promises to be a major transformation of the transportation industry.

[picture source: www.themurkyfringe.com]

Nicely said, Gusha.

When we speak of the advantages of electric cars with regard to their emissions, their environmental impact on greenhouse gases should really include the proportionate contribution of the power generating stations that provide the electricity to charge the batteries. But even if that worked out to be no advantage (and I'm not saying it does), there is another significant advantage and that lies in the huge reduction in point-sources. Technology and emission controls should be far easier to apply to a thousand power plant stacks than a couple of million tail pipes.

What has recently really surprised me about the US energy policy (if we have one) is the very large rate at which we're closing and abandoning hydroelectric generation, which with solar, is one of the least-impacting generation methods. OK, the fish can't climb the dams! With the unemployment what it is, we could probably hire people to catch and carry the fish to the top of the dam in baskets and be ahead of the game. Cynical, I know.

And PS - it's interesting that the range of a purely electric car today is about the same as it was in 1900.

Up for sale in Germany, even with built-in display windows is -> one of the very last Henney's.



images source: auktion.catawiki.de

Attach file:

---

  (6.97 KB)


  (27.57 KB)


  (32.25 KB)


  (36.51 KB)


  (41.51 KB)


  (38.10 KB)


  (39.91 KB)


  (34.42 KB)

For the whole nine yards go -> this or -> that way.

-> There to Dauphine Henney Kilowatt on Youtube.



images source: auktion.catawiki.de

Attach file:

---

  (34.64 KB)


  (47.43 KB)


  (51.18 KB)


  (28.08 KB)


  (39.78 KB)


  (34.61 KB)


  (36.33 KB)


  (36.18 KB)