The Conventional Automobile is Doomed - What Will Take Its Place?

On November 22nd 1999 the first successful run took place of a revolutionary type of vehicle. It used no gasoline but was electrically powered from the 400-volt mains, and was many times more efficient than a conventional car. Among its many novel features was a new type of three-wheel design that had cornering characteristics at least equal to those of the best four-wheel cars. It was powered by an electric motor. Apart from the wheels it had only one moving part, the motor rotor. The design is maintenance-free and in full size production is expected to have a service life of at least 50 000 hours. It has been under continuous development in South Africa over the past ten years.

The body is a spheroid of minimum drag and optimum strength to mass ratio. It has a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.05 and is lighter than a conventional design.

A downside is that the roads have to be modified by having electric conductors inserted in them. A special type of contact member has been devised that gives vehicles full mobility within the confines of the road and is intrinsically safe.

In a world where gasoline prices are rising daily and a scarce resource is becoming exhausted, it makes sense to use electric power for motor vehicles. Electricity can be generated from a variety of energy sources, including some that are renewable. The Congo River has sufficient hydroelectric reserve to power all of the motor vehicles in Africa, while the Amazon could power all of the motor vehicles in both Americas.

The Physics Department of the University of Johannesburg has devised a type of thin film solar cell which is economical to produce and in sufficient quantities could provide power for all of the remaining motor vehicles of the world. The South African government has invested a considerable sum of money in its development.

By John Talbot

(Under the direction of the Lord Jesus - Prov 3:6; Col 3:17)

John Talbot is the CEO of Talbot Electric (Pty) Ltd, a research and development company incorporated in the Republic of South Africa. For more information visit http://www.johntal.com/home.htm

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