Future Nuclear Cars
Future nuclear cars are not as radical idea as some people think they are.
For instance, in 1958 Ford produced a concept car called the Nucleon (pictured
center of page) that was supposed to run on nuclear energy.
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 Future nuclear cars will rock the
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At the height of the atomic age, Ford believed that as nuclear reactors
became smaller and more compact that one day soon all cars could run
indefinitely on nuclear power. Of course now days, the Ford Fusion may be a nod
to the Nucleon of old even though the Fusion is a gasoline-burning beast (or a
gasoline electric hybrid).
In 2008, the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel concept (WTF) car was shown (and
pictured top of page). The Cadillac WTF (which some may say was appropriately
named) is the brainchild of designer Loren Kulesus.
Mr. Kulesus said the Cadillac WTF would run for 100 years on nuclear power
without ever running out of fuel. The wheels at each corner of the vehicle are
actually 6 smaller wheels put together each with its own induction motor. So, we
can assume in this case that the nuclear reactor inside the vehicle will be used
to create electricity to power the wheels.
The other alternative would be for a small nuclear reactor to create steam
which would turn a turbine which could either serve as a motor or once again
create electricity. Under this scenario, however, water would need to be used
and replenished.
The Ford Nucleon was the future in the 1950s.
One of the key questions left unanswered by both the Ford Nucleon and
Cadillac WTF is how do you cool down the nuclear reactor inside the vehicle?
But, if you think this is all too far-fetched then consider nuclear
submarines for a minute. Nuclear powered submarines today have small reactors
onboard with fuel that lasts upwards of 25 years. The reactors are cooled by
seawater.
The advantage of nuclear submarines over diesel submarines are quietness of
operation and the fact that they can stay submerged much longer. In fact,
nuclear submarine can stay down as long as supplies last for the personnel
onboard.
Now here's another thing to think about for future nuclear cars. NASA right
now is in the design stages of a cold fusion powered spaceship that will someday
fly to Mars. Cold fusion powered future cars, airplanes, spacecraft, ships,
trains and other transportation, would be the holy grail of nuclear powered
vehicles.
Like a genii in a bottle, however, nuclear fusion would need to be controlled
in such a way that safety would come first and foremost. Scientists right now
however are conducting successful experiments with cold fusion using lasers and
hydrogen that will one day revolutionize the electrical grid.
So, the idea of future nuclear cars is not such a radical concept as one may
initially think. It may be 50 or 100 years until this type of vehicle comes to
fruition (after hydrogen cars, battery electric cars and even solar cars have
had their day in the sun).
A Real Atom by designer Imran Othman
If you're an environmentalist you'll rightly have deep concerns about the
safety of having a nuclear powered car in your driveway. But, like anything
else, if top safety methods can be assured, future nuclear cars may be something
to keep an open mind towards.
Future Flying
Cars
Future flying cars have intrigued people for decades. Ever
since Orville and Wilbur Wright took off on their historic flight from
Kittyhawk, North Carolina, people were not thinking about huge jumbo jets, but
rather future flying cars that could get them from point A to point B quickly,
safely and aeronautically.
Moller Skycar |
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What came to be developed, though, were larger and larger aircraft for
hauling more and more people aboard.
Sky buses could herd people like cattle aboard jumbo jetliners and transport
people across the continent in only hours.
But, people still kept yearning for future flying cars, the kind like a
regular automobile, but one that could put people above the angst of rush hour
traffic, highway closures, detours and traffic jam causing accidents.
And because this yearning continued, there were TV shows like the venerable
Jetsons to fuel this fire in our bellies to "fly above it all" and give us more
power and control with our vehicles that we've ever had before.
Since this yearning has stayed alive all these years, there have been many
entrepreneurs working on developing future flying cars that would one day become
a reality. Some would say that we are now, officially, almost there.
For instance, the Moller flying car is just one such vehicle with its four
ethanol driven rotary engines that can either drive like a car or take off like
a Harrier jet. The latest rendition is the Moller Skycar M400, which is taking
preorders and is expected to make its commercial debut by 2009 or 2010.
Then another future flying car is the AirScooter II, which is being called a
recreational air vehicle. The AirScooter II is not in production yet as the
AirScooter Corporation is still testing its AeroTwin Engine and expects to go
into production by the end of 2007. For under $50,000 you can have your own
personal aircraft that soars above the traffic. The AirScooter II can reach 55
mph and fly for 2 hours before refueling.
And, then there is Carter Aviation Technologies that are developing two
difference kinds of PAV (personal aviation vehicles). The Carter 2 place PAV is
an entry level rotorcraft designed as a pure autogiro that will cruise at around
130 mph. The Carter 4 place PAV (2+2 PAV) will use the company's slowed rotor
technology and a 330 horsepower turbo diesel engine with the ability to fly at
230 mph and a range of 1200 miles. The company is currently accepting refundable
deposits.
And of course, now the Terrafugia Transition is no longer a future flying car
but one that is here now. After extensive testing the FAA is now allowing the
Terrafugia Transition to be sold that is both street legal and air worthy.
So, to recap, future flying cars are not that much into the future (in fact
one is here now). Within a couple of short years, other future flying cars may
be your present everyday car and flying will be as commonplace as honking your
horn at another driver is today.
Future Solar Cars
Future solar cars will solve many of our transportation and environmental
problems. Forget battery electric vehicles and hydrogen cars which will be
transitional technology. Future solar cars will one day be mainstream.
To understand the future of solar cars let's first take a short journey into
the past. The first solar car was invented by William G. Cobb of General Motors
in 1955 and it was a tiny little version of an automobile at that.
Since this time solar cars have not developed as quickly as other kinds of
automobiles. For instance, hydrogen fuel cell cars were introduced in the mid
1960's and now some of these H2 cars are in limited production status.
For the solar car it's been a more grueling race to the mainstream. Venues
such as the World Solar Challenge or the North American Solar Challenge have
been testing these vehicles for endurance and speed but they are still not up to
par with consumer standards.
The Venturi Astrolab solar-electric hybrid vehicle was introduced back in
2006, as the first commercially available photovoltaic car that could travel
around 74 mph with a range of about 68 miles (pictured). As you can see most of
the top of the vehicle is covered with solar cells.
But, Venturi Astrolab will end up in a museum, perhaps in France or
Smithsonian if they will have it. Future solar cars will not have to have
wall-to-wall solar panels in order to work (they won't be well-to-wheel cars
either as are fossil fuel burners).
No, the solar cars of the future will have small solar panels on the hood,
roof and trunk area. Because of nanotechnology and breakthroughs in solar and
energy storage technology, photovoltaic will be miniaturized without giving up
power.
Now, in the future just as right now, solar panels won't work well at night.
This is why breakthroughs in either battery technology or fuel cell technology
will also need to happen concurrently in order to store the photovoltaic energy
accumulated in the day to be used for night cruising.
Exciting technology is happening right now with zinc that may just replace
platinum in fuel cells and lithium in batteries. Future solar cars will have
downsized solar panels as well as downsized storage devices plus plenty of
legroom.
Gone will be the days of name-calling over those who drive SUVs versus those
who drive subcompact cars for the good of the environment. All sizes, shapea and
configurations of solar cars will be available in the future.
In fact, when ground-bound solar cars are being perfected, prototype solar
flying cars will be being tested. Light solar-powered aircraft will also not be
far off. Solar-powered fishing boats and other small craft will also grace the
waters.
Not everyone will be around to see how the technology plays out in the years
to come. But, be assured that solar cars are not going away, and in fact, may
take over as the vehicles of choice in the future.
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