Alternate Fuels

With growing concerns of gas prices and global warming. We are obviously seeing auto manufacturers introducing new models with alternate fuels, such as hybrids. The intent is that by 2015 or so we will see about 60% of new cars as hybrids or hydrogen. I guess the alternate fuel for gas will be hydrogen, but in the mean time hybrids are a good temporary solution. My question to everyone is since F1 is used for some R&D, do you think we will see F1 motors using alternate fuels? I know they have tested diesel before, but performed like crap and I know Cart uses methanol and IRL uses Ethanol. Since the goal for auto manufacturers is hydrogen, lets just say F1 uses hydrogen. How much of a performance loss will there be compared to gasoline?

 

WOW -- what a propoganda-laced question assuming facts-not-in-evidence (not the racing part, but the "green" part)!

Here's a little fact you might want to check -- there is no free Hydrogen on this planet.

 

Agreed. Hydrogen is a sham. Any hydrogen produced would be produced using energy mostly from gas turbine or coal fired power plants which, despite improvement in recent years, arent exactly polltion free. It would be interesting to see a power specific pollution comparison between a car and a modern combined cycle power plant. I would imagine the power plant would blow the car away in cleanliness, but now I guess that discredits my original goal of the post (which is to say that hyrdogen is a bad idea).

 

I am just stating what B.S. I read in the news. Any ways, I would just like to get your view on alternate fuels. What do you think we will see in the near future as an alternate fuel and will we see it in racing.

CRG125

 

The only abundant, known "alternative" fuel to oil is coal. All other forms (solar, wind, hydrogen) are just more inefficient ways of burning oil or coal that will never be better than just burning the oil or coal directly (except for those who get a paycheck from trying ). We will always be able to make liquid hydrocarbons from coal so, if racing continues to exist (one can argue it shouldn't if were that short of energy), there's no reason to change from the alcohols or gasoline.

PS The alcohols only have about 1/2 of the energy density as gasoline so it doesn't make a great passenger car fuel (you need 2X the gas tank volume for the same range as gasoline and it adds extra weight). Racing uses the alcohols because they have a higher heat of vaporization which helps cool things down.

PPS Start thinking for yourself!

 

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BHW