VW already has effectively... The only thing left is to add a catalytic converter to clean up the last of the emissions. To do that they need low sulpher fuel, which, is being mandated by 2007 (?).
The infrastructure was there; but, rail traffic started to fall off in the 50's (if I remember right...). A lot of the infrastructure was either pulled up or crumbled to dust due to neglect.
What's important to remember is that a lot of the right-of-ways are still there. That means they could re-implement the rail lines without needing to buy the land again. It's a start.
This is a simple case of supply and demand. In this case, the demand far outstripped the supply. The manufacturer's had estimates of the demand and set up the plants to make enough to meet those estimates. The estimates were wrong.
GM eventually admitted it cost them a whole lot more to make an EV1 than they did/could sell them for. GM's pencil pushers couldn't get the price down. The EV1 battery design had some serious range issues and didn't work well if the weather was cold (yes you read that right) which is why they only tried selling them in Nevada and California. They realized they had to go back to the drawing board; and, decided to cut their losses.
Ford's electric Rangers were also an expensive experiment. It worked as promised but was based on heavy lead-acid batteries (slung under the bed of the truck). Ford has been seriously concerned about the long term maintenance requirements on these vehicles; and, has been trying to recall all of them (some owners don't want to return them and are suing for ownership provided for under the terms of their lease agreement). You have to keep in mind that, as long as these vehicles are on the road, the manufacturer has to provide spare parts and service on them for 10 years under U.S. law. Ford realized this was going to be costly and is trying to get all of the Rangers off the road so they won't have to support them.
Toyota brought out the electric RAV4 for testing in the fleet market; and, obviously it hasn't done well enough for them to release it to the general public. Instead, Toyota has decided to pursue Hybrid drivetrains and is expecting to release several SUV's (including the RAV4 or it's decendant) this year as HEV's.
You forgot about Chrysler. The Caravan was (is?) available as an electric vehicle to fleet buyers. Like the Ranger, it used a big pallet of lead-acid batteries slung under the chassis. It will probably never be released for regular consumer sale.
the NOx comes from burning the nitrogen in air; it does not come from the fuel. It occurs anytime the combustion temperatures get above a certain point; and, Hydrogen burning can most definitely reach those temperatures.
Part of the reason fleets use alternative fuels is that companies receive significant tax benefits by converting their fleets to alternative, low emissions fuels (cng, lpg, etc.)
Actually, we can get some information about what the climate was like going back 100's or even 1000's of years by looking at data from tree rings, ice core's, coral growth, etc.
Some early studies have suggested this data shows the temperatures are in an unusual upswing. Re-analysis of the data, adding additional core data, correcting some errors and re-establishing the baselines show that the current temperature changes we're experiencing now are not really all that out of the ordinary.
As for longer terms like 100's kYears or MYears, You can get some information from other geological evidence; but, basically, we don't have a clue...
It's just a way of initiating the transfer. It's also an effective system that even the computer illiterate could use with ease: "Just tap your card here to purchase...."
You'll be walking through a sea of RF signals. How does your hardware know which ones to ignore and which streams it's supposed to intercept, decode and save? Unless the RFID transciever was authenticated first, the signals would be ignored.
someone has to put up the capital to build the thing. It would behoove Shell or Imperial or BP to do so. Then they'd be in control of the fuel production (and recieve any resulting profits)
The concept of using a balloon as a launch platform for your rocket is actually fairly old. I work with some X Nasa guys who talked about how they considered it back in the day.... it wasn't feasible then.
What was really neat, IMHO, was combining that concept with the idea of using a slow path to orbit, using a space-worthy blimp (for lack of a better term).
I read that when I took into to physics. Btw, they were only partially right:
the Hindenburg's skin was covered with the a rubberized paint base of cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate and was also coated with flecks of aluminum.
This was essentially solid rocket fuel. cellulose nitrate makes an excellent substitute for gunpowder...
The spark ignited the skin. The Hydrogen burn off was secondary...
A bullet? You'd puncture the envelope; but, I doubt you'd have no ignition. Even with a spark, the air density at that altitude might not sustain a flame (note to self: do some calculations).
Hindenburg had the spectacular burn because it was painted in a rubberized lacquer or such, mixed with aluminum powder (to make it reflect heat). The paint was essentially the same chemical mixture used in some solid rocket motors. It (the paint) was EXTREMELY flammable.
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That's true of a lot of computers, not just Sun. that's why they invented these amazing things called UPS'
VW already has effectively... The only thing left is to add a catalytic converter to clean up the last of the emissions. To do that they need low sulpher fuel, which, is being mandated by 2007 (?).
What's important to remember is that a lot of the right-of-ways are still there. That means they could re-implement the rail lines without needing to buy the land again. It's a start.
This is a simple case of supply and demand. In this case, the demand far outstripped the supply. The manufacturer's had estimates of the demand and set up the plants to make enough to meet those estimates. The estimates were wrong.
GM eventually admitted it cost them a whole lot more to make an EV1 than they did/could sell them for. GM's pencil pushers couldn't get the price down. The EV1 battery design had some serious range issues and didn't work well if the weather was cold (yes you read that right) which is why they only tried selling them in Nevada and California. They realized they had to go back to the drawing board; and, decided to cut their losses.
Ford's electric Rangers were also an expensive experiment. It worked as promised but was based on heavy lead-acid batteries (slung under the bed of the truck). Ford has been seriously concerned about the long term maintenance requirements on these vehicles; and, has been trying to recall all of them (some owners don't want to return them and are suing for ownership provided for under the terms of their lease agreement). You have to keep in mind that, as long as these vehicles are on the road, the manufacturer has to provide spare parts and service on them for 10 years under U.S. law. Ford realized this was going to be costly and is trying to get all of the Rangers off the road so they won't have to support them.
Toyota brought out the electric RAV4 for testing in the fleet market; and, obviously it hasn't done well enough for them to release it to the general public. Instead, Toyota has decided to pursue Hybrid drivetrains and is expecting to release several SUV's (including the RAV4 or it's decendant) this year as HEV's.
You forgot about Chrysler. The Caravan was (is?) available as an electric vehicle to fleet buyers. Like the Ranger, it used a big pallet of lead-acid batteries slung under the chassis. It will probably never be released for regular consumer sale.
the NOx comes from burning the nitrogen in air; it does not come from the fuel. It occurs anytime the combustion temperatures get above a certain point; and, Hydrogen burning can most definitely reach those temperatures.
They're talking commercial fleet. There are tons of vehicles (literally : ) already available from manufacturers that run on CNG.
the prius makes a lousy delivery truck.
In broadest (and simplest) terms, emissions run as 30%industrial, 30%commercial fleet, 30%private vehicles, 10% other.
Part of the reason fleets use alternative fuels is that companies receive significant tax benefits by converting their fleets to alternative, low emissions fuels (cng, lpg, etc.)
nope. It's a long weekend... go rent all three of the movies & buy some popcorn : )
ever thought of updating your system? They're at release 5.2.1 now...
Actually, we can get some information about what the climate was like going back 100's or even 1000's of years by looking at data from tree rings, ice core's, coral growth, etc.
Some early studies have suggested this data shows the temperatures are in an unusual upswing. Re-analysis of the data, adding additional core data, correcting some errors and re-establishing the baselines show that the current temperature changes we're experiencing now are not really all that out of the ordinary.
As for longer terms like 100's kYears or MYears, You can get some information from other geological evidence; but, basically, we don't have a clue...
It was the guys who said the chaotician was a wacho-nutjob that got eaten.
You'll be walking through a sea of RF signals. How does your hardware know which ones to ignore and which streams it's supposed to intercept, decode and save? Unless the RFID transciever was authenticated first, the signals would be ignored.
When it dies 4-6 hours later, it'd be a pain to swap the battery...
Yeah, it'll rain more. Somehow, I don't see more rain as a problem...
someone has to put up the capital to build the thing. It would behoove Shell or Imperial or BP to do so. Then they'd be in control of the fuel production (and recieve any resulting profits)
What was really neat, IMHO, was combining that concept with the idea of using a slow path to orbit, using a space-worthy blimp (for lack of a better term).
the Hindenburg's skin was covered with the a rubberized paint base of cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate and was also coated with flecks of aluminum.
This was essentially solid rocket fuel. cellulose nitrate makes an excellent substitute for gunpowder...
The spark ignited the skin. The Hydrogen burn off was secondary...
Hindenburg had the spectacular burn because it was painted in a rubberized lacquer or such, mixed with aluminum powder (to make it reflect heat). The paint was essentially the same chemical mixture used in some solid rocket motors. It (the paint) was EXTREMELY flammable.
Note to self: insert foot in mouth. and do density calculation...
a few days... a few weeks... does it really matter? It still gets you to LEO for peanuts.
OMGROFLOL. I hadn't thought of that. Why not...
That was exactly my response. Amazing. Why hadn't anyone thought of this before!