Author Topic: ZAP! electric three-wheeler  (Read 9624 times)

Big Al

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Re: ZAP! electric three-wheeler
« Reply #15 on: March 13, 2010, 08:10:10 AM »
There is a IC tubine too, the Wankel. The problem with turbines is that they are really at their best running between some fairly tight rev ranges. This is why they are not ideal for powering a variable speed vehicle with gears. As soon as you change the revs they become inefficient. However in pumps, drones and generators they work very well and are reliable. It makes perfect sense, then, to link a turbine to a generator and then use the electricity to power the vehicle as electric motors are happy to vary speed, offer superb torque over power and can salvage energy on slowing down. Railway Locos have been doing it for years, though progress to effciency has been slow. You get the benifits of both systems and a turbine can be a lot smaller than the equivelant IC unit for the power required. Also most turbines will burn pretty raw fuels. So a halfway house and usable anywhere.
The question is then where the fuel comes from. Unfortunately biomass is not available in the quantities needed to sustain energy requirements for country or world without a concerted change in policies and input of investment. This is the real green issue not playing offsetting and taxes supported by vague rules. It means a change of infrastructure where the target is to use a years worth of sun to provide a years worth of fuel. Very difficult and the firms who should be looking at it are the chemical/brewing companies not the petrochemical companies. The only way this target will be achieved is to use the sea. Guess what, we are in a perfect position to lead the world in this technology being a developed island sourrunded by good quality waters complete with Slarty Bardfast crinkly bits to run experiments. The spin off would be a controlled sustainable fisheriey industry. So what is happening. Bu**er all!
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marcus

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Re: ZAP! electric three-wheeler
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2010, 08:39:56 AM »
Whatever might be a good idea for Britain gets stymied by committees and bureaucracy. Transport for London was set up over a decade ago and tasked with improving cycling facilities, as part of the planes for congestion reduction. Millions of pounds has gone on leaflets, posters, studies, guides, petrol pump stickers, visits to Holland, reports, meetings, advertising etc. Hardly a single penny of the budget has gone on cycles lanes. When they decided to make an underpass for pedestrians under the south end of Blackfriars Bridge (where many pedestrians had been killed or injured, and many collisions) from agreeing the idea, it took 18 years of bureaucratic waffle before they FINALLY started actually making the thing that had kept them on the gravy train for nearly 2 decades.
Also when South London Innovation Centre was facing closure I was part of the rescue plan, and we made a suggestion to Dept of Trade and Industry to set £1.000,000 in trust for the organisation, which could then survive forever on 1/2 of the interest, with the govt getting the other 1/2. Great idea said the Mandarin, let's do a report. Off they went to their favourite beneficiaries, Coopers and Lybrand (Accountants to the bureaucrats) and commissioned a huge report. The report took 6 months and concluded that SLIC would "Not make a profit" ...something that was NEVER in our proposal, we wanted it set up as a TRUST to ensure its survival for the benefit of generations of inventors and craftspeople whose products and work WOULD earn tax income for the country.
As the doors of SLIC closed forever it was shocking to think that such a relatively small sum was unavailable for SLIC, yet £2.500,000 was available to give to C&L to make a report which did not even understand or answer our proposal!
Just remember: as one door closes behind you, another slams in your face

Big Al

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Re: ZAP! electric three-wheeler
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2010, 09:01:11 AM »
Vested interests are the prime benificary of the Government of the United Kingdom. There is a huge revinue to be made in cracking the green issues with technology and production techniques which will save the nation money and exportable. Trouble is the vested interests prefer quick money over longterm wealth and dare I say some of our key disecion makers are in the pay of those who do not want this new technology and many of the rest are to ill educated to make much of an informed choice on anything which is why they employ bean counters to come up with a reason to not do anything as it will expose their total incompetence to do the task they are paid fore. Is this not why we are in the economic mess we are after years of ineffectual government which has actually dismantalled much of the checks on its performance while in office? I could go on but suffice to say if the election provides the wrong result there will be a stampede to leave the country by anyone who still has something to protect! The poop is headed squarely for the turbine. Mind you if Britain goes bankrupt it will go green by default.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
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Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs