Slashdot Mirror


NASA Tests Hydrogen-Fueled BMW

Rio sends us word that NASA has completed an 8-week test of a fleet of BMW luxury sedans powered by liquid hydrogen at Kennedy Space Center. The new BMW Hydrogen 7 sedan uses the same fuel that powers the space shuttle and reduces CO2 emissions by 90 percent, according to a news release. Its engine can burn gasoline or liquid hydrogen and can switch seamlessly between the two. From the article: "One hundred BMW Hydrogen 7s have been built, and 25 are used in test programs in the US. The cars have already covered more than 1.3 million miles in test programs around the globe."

14 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. Wait, What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Liquid Hydrogen?! At least they can overclock the engine and keep it cool.

  2. *boggle* by ubrgeek · · Score: 3, Funny

    > hold-the-lox
    What the heck does smoked whitefish have to do with this story? Or am I missing something?

    --
    Bark less. Wag more.
  3. emissions by slapout · · Score: 5, Funny

    "same fuel that powers the space shuttle and reduces CO2 emissions by 90 percent"

    In that case, we should all be driving space shuttles to work.

    --
    Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
    1. Re:emissions by LordVader717 · · Score: 2, Funny
  4. Finally, action movies are vindicated by BlackCobra43 · · Score: 5, Funny

    We finally have cars that are actually likely to explode violently when shot! Stallones, Schawrzneggers and Norrises of the world rejoice!

    --
    I never spellcheck and I freely admit it. Save your karma for more worthwhile "lol erorrs" replies
  5. Solution to Global Warming! by Antarius · · Score: 5, Funny
    The solutions is right here:

    The new BMW Hydrogen 7 sedan uses the same fuel that powers the space shuttle and reduces CO2 emissions by 90 percent
    If this remarkable fuel powers the space shuttle and reduces CO2 emissions by 90 percent, then simply send up more space shuttles! Duh!

    If we send up a shuttle per year, we can pollute as much as we like! The plants will take care of the other 10%!
  6. Why is NASA not buying American Cars!!!! by tjstork · · Score: 2, Funny

    Geez, German taxpayers aren't supporting NASA. US Taxpayers are. So, why couldn't NASA do this with an American car?

    Come on.

    What a joke.

    --
    This is my sig.
  7. Re:How efficient are they? by WED+Fan · · Score: 2, Funny

    The really sad news is that the BMW is also planned to be the replace for the shuttle fleet when it is retired in 2010.

    --
    Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
  8. Re:i'm all for new tech by niceone · · Score: 2, Funny

    ut why does NASA need a fleet of luxury BMW sedans?

    Well, lets say you're an astronaut and your car's in the shop, but you really need to drive cross country to hunt down the new girlfriend of your ex-lover - one of these would be ideal.

  9. Re:How efficient are they? by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 5, Funny

    > So unless we got some very clean and efficient way to generate power
    > to get this clean H2, we're just back at square one.

    A man.

    Some water.

    A very, very sharp axe.

    (And yes, it's patented, so no stealing my idea, you insensitive clods.)

  10. Re:How efficient are they? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Two words:
    Nucular

  11. Re:How efficient are they? by BytePusher · · Score: 4, Funny

    Fortunately however, they will begin placing satellites in UELEO(Ultra Extreme Low Earth Orbit) anywhere in the US for about as much as a few tanks of gasoline. This simply involves piloting the new BMW UELEO vehicle to the desired location and depositing the UELEO satellite in UELEO. An added benefit is that UELEO Satellites require no altitude repositioning mechanism because gravity and normal forces cancel providing a static and stable orbit. Another benefit is that owners of UELEO satellites may maintain the satellites themselves as UELEO is easily accesible by the millions of UELEO vehicles already in use. Many experts are anticipating however, NASA will face fierce competition from current private sector UELEO deploying organizations such as UPS and FedEx.

  12. Re:How efficient are they? by yiantsbro · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well let's hope the bridge to space isn't built using joint plates.

  13. Re:"clean to get"? Huh? by BobMcD · · Score: 3, Funny


    GOOD LORD! You want to fling Nuclear Waste into the SUN??? Have you tested this? What if it generates a Teenage Mutant Ninja Sun?!?!?!?

    I like Pizza, but COME ON!

    And to the other guy that wants to fling it at our intergalactic neighbors, well, you get to be the one who explains it to them when they come a-knocking!