Remember when I was wondering recently about a fuel powered electric motorcycle? I thought, why not build a motorcycle using an electric motor but then generate the electricity on board with some kind of fuel powered generator instead of a battery so you had electricity as long as you had fuel and you could refill quickly instead of recharge slowly. I just saw this little … [Read more...]
New GM and Chrysler Pickups May Expand Demand for Natural Gas Refueling
While everyone is waiting for some battery breakthrough to push electric vehicles into the mainstream, GM and Chrysler just announced upcoming bi-fuel pickup trucks, that could have an impact of a different sort. These new pickups won't use ethanol as their alternate fuel, it will be compressed natural gas and this could be a big deal. While there already are a lot of heavy … [Read more...]
Multi Fuel Internal Combustion Electromechanical Batteries – Got That?
Still not sure electric power is the wave of the future? Here's a way to keep yourself squarely on the fence, batteries powered by gasoline. Set your coffee down and think about that one. When I saw this story the other day I wasn't sure what the breakthrough was. Clarian Labs designed this small rotary engine/generator, but except for size, why is it different than rotary … [Read more...]
Hydrogen Microbeads May Provide Practical Vehicle Fuel Storage Solution
Hydrogen is another one of those "just around the corner" technologies for powering all of our vehicles. You can use it to run a fuel cell or burn it directly in an internal combustion engine. Either way works, but almost every solution requires high pressure cylinders or very low temperatures to store it before use which makes vehicle applications difficult. A new development … [Read more...]
Natural Gas Conversions for Motorcycles – Would You Buy One?
Gasoline prices are heading north again with a vengeance and the US government seems to be dragging its feet on oil drilling, demand for oil is rising around the world, especially in China, several wars are going on in the middle east along with all sorts of general unrest in that region, don't you think this would be be a great time to start converting our internal combustion … [Read more...]
MTT Y2K Turbine Motorcycle
You've seen these before, but every now and then one turns up for sale and I just have to point it out because it so outrageous. Forget razor sharp handling or long range touring, think instead of listening to a jet engine spooling up every time you initiate the starting sequence. Have a really long stretch of concrete somewhere nearby? You'll need it if you ever plan to sample … [Read more...]