Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

High Speed Steam Powered Car

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the sure-why-not dept.

CodeWanker wrote in to tell us about a story about new steam powered vehicles that are aiming to set speed records. The car is kind of goofy looking, but more eco friendly (which works for the Prius ;) Don't expect to see anything like this at your local dealer any time soon tho.

17 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. It seems that... by slashdevslashtty · · Score: 5, Funny

    Valve has done something right.

    --


    M$ Lawyer: But `gcc /dev/random -o kernel.dll` is our trade secret!
  2. Re: So hard to spell check? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 2, Funny


    > WTF is tho?

    It's a quaint way of spelling "740", you 6006.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  3. Finally! by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Some place I can play my air guitar without feeling silly.

  4. Steam Powered? by freelance+cynic · · Score: 3, Funny

    Will the engine refuse to start if it can't connect to the internet?

  5. Re: So hard to spell check? by koreaman · · Score: 2, Funny

    Go here, please.

    --
    Le français vous intéresse?
  6. Operation by pete-classic · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does the manual will indicate which lever is the velocitator and which the deceleratrix?

    -Peter

  7. what is next? by whitelabrat · · Score: 2, Funny

    This would compliment my telegraph powered internet connection and my horse drawn dishwasher. Heh.

  8. Goofy Looking? No way! by SpaFF · · Score: 2, Funny

    The car is kind of goofy looking...

    Whatever man, I think it looks awesome. Fark hit the nail right on the head when they described it as the batmobile in their headline.

    --
    -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.12 GIT d? s: a-- C++++ UL++++ P++ L+++ E- W++ N o-- K- w--- O- M+ V PS+ P
  9. Re:Regression by Tenebrious1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It seems that lately a lot of stuff has started to regress to older tech. Steam power...

    So when we finally get portable fusion reactors, will it be "old tech" since it's been happening on the sun for billions of years?

    Yes, it's steam. It's superheated steam used to turn a turbine. Pretty much the same technology used in nuclear power plants. Of course power plant turbines turn at a constant speed to deliver constant power, which is why this is a new use for a steam turbine.

    ... hand labor being of higher value craftsmanship

    Hand craftsmanship has always been valued over mass produced items by those who see quality as more than the sum of the parts... and are willing to pay more for such quality. We've always been around and will always be. Perhaps the dominance of Walmart has made more people turn towards supporting local artists and craftsmen, but it's certainly not a new fad.

    --
    -- If god wanted me to have a sig, he'd have given me a sense of humor.
  10. Re:This car runs on gas by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny
    But the problem of turbines is that to be efficient, they have to run at a predetermined speed. The very nature of road cars is that their speed changes all the time, so this design would be no good for road vehicles.
    Some cars have a thingummyjig that allows you to change[1] the ratio between the engine speed and the roadwheel speed thus allowing the engine to be run at optimum revolutions. I forget the name of it.

    [1] One day some clever chap might invent one that does it by itself, automatically even, thus leaving one hand free for other tasks such as eating.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  11. Well by GasKewled · · Score: 2, Funny

    If we could make one run off flies, that would be something

  12. External combustion engines by AtariAmarok · · Score: 3, Funny
    "Internal combustion engines are a century old too"

    We did experiment some with external combustion vehicles about 30 years ago.

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
  13. It gives a new meaning... by mealtime_warrior · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...to vapor-ware!

  14. Re:The Prius/hybrids actually isn't good at all by Eryq · · Score: 4, Funny
    Plus the one thing that people do not think about on electric and hybrids is the batteries. They are a nightmare to dispose or recycle.

    You're telling me! My car runs on 9,624 AA alkaline batteries. They only last about 30 miles, and when they conk out I have to use up the ones on my second car just to drive them to the dump...

    --
    I'm a bloodsucking fiend! Look at my outfit!
  15. Re:The Air Car... by Cow+Jones · · Score: 2, Funny

    And you can expect to see these at a local dealer soon. (at least Europe)

    What, you mean it's not vaporware?

    --

    Ah, arrogance and stupidity, all in the same package. How efficient of you. -- Londo Mollari
  16. Re:The Prius/hybrids actually isn't good at all by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was with you up until you mentioned needing a cat to clean the gasoline. Any particular breed?

  17. Can we make whiskey while we drive? by Blimey85 · · Score: 2, Funny
    What if instead of water we put in our ingredients for whiskey and use the car as a still? Maybe have a closed system that you get paid for that you can swap at gas stations... so you pull in to fuel up and you swap tanks... you give them your tank of whiskey and an empty ingredients tank. They give you an empty whiskey tank and a full ingredients tank.

    Then you run a hose from the whiskey tank to the drivers area... and you run a hose from you windshield wiper... hook both of those into a t connector... then fill the windshield wiper resevoir with oj... and you've got instant screwdrivers while you drive!

    --
    How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?