Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Well duh.

Finally someone has figured out that a jet turbine powered hybrid car would not only be BAD ASS but really efficient as well. Ever wonder why jet engines ushered in the era of air travel? They have so many advantages over internal combustion engines.
  • Much more fuel efficient than ICE (given similar loads).
  • Power to weight ratio is much better (weight is the worst enemy of MPG.
  • Much smaller than an ICE at similar power levels.
  • Can literally burn anything as fuel. Alcohol, kerosene, ethanol, bio-fuel, etc.
There are some drawbacks though.

  • Generate massive amounts of heat. Easy problem to solve on a airplane traveling 500MPH but a different story when you're stuck in traffic on the highway.
  • Really god damned loud and hard to muffle without seriously effecting power.
  • Expensive to produce compared to ICE. Jet turbines require exotic metals and materials due to the high heat and extreme tolerances of the moving parts.
  • No one wants to be near an 80,000RPM turbine if it comes apart.

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