Jaguar super car...

[Neil]

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/cartech/jagu...-jet-50000966/ At each wheel, Jaguar's installed an electric motor, each of which delivers 145kW (195bhp) of power. These are driven by a floor-mounted lithium-ion battery pack that can drive the vehicle for 68 miles on ordinary electric power alone. When it runs out of juice, it can be topped up via a standard household mains outlet or be given a boost via two 70kW (94bhp) micro gas turbines. These gas turbines get their power from a flow of combustion gas -- diesel, biofuels, compressed natural gas, or liquified petroleum gas (the C-X75 has a 60-litre tank that accommodates all four). This fuel is mixed with air and ignited to charge the car's batteries to extend its range, but can also be used to power the electric motors directly in order to boost performance -- a lot. With the batteries and turbines working in tandem, Jaguar believes the car will do 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 205mph. Apparently, it'll even accelerate from 50-90mph in just 2.3 seconds and do a quarter-mile sprint in just 10.3 seconds, so there's a strong chance it'll be quicker than almost anything.

[SymphonicX]

Stupid, pointless and ridiculous. They spent god knows how many millions and millions of pounds designing a car that can't even travel from here to Bristol on a 6 hour charge and this is supposed to impress who? Those who can afford a car like this can afford a car with a gas tank that will last them beyond 68 miles - whilst those who need cheaper, electric vehicles are never going to be able to afford a jag like that anyway. So pointless it won't even go into production - why not spend those millions and millions of pounds on a vehicle that actually competes with what's already out there? Jag are just flexing their design muscles but haven't produced anything with any remote form of substance...

[Neil]

Did you not read the article? It can do nearly 600 miles when using the 60 litres of fuel too... Now that is pretty efficient. Imagine if they put that technology in a simpler car... Might be well over a 1000 miles then!?

[SymphonicX]

Did you not read the article? It can do nearly 600 miles when using the 60 litres of fuel too... Now that is pretty efficient. Imagine if they put that technology in a simpler car... Might be well over a 1000 miles then!? ARGHHH Yeah I know, I did add a bit back in through editing my post but it asked for a reason and I lost interest. I was going to add - if it needs a fossill fuel subsidy it's even less useful as an electric vehicle. Having all those expensive and heavy batteries in there simply for 68 miles - I wonder if they'd get more than 68 miles back if they just ran it on the standard 60 litre tank that ALLEGEDLY gets 600 miles out of it. I mean think about it, you've got 200k in the bank ready to blow on a really nice car - does the fact that it uses electricity bother someone with 200k to splash out on any amount of fuel, insurance, tax and running costs? Nah, they're just going to get the one that makes them look the best, goes the fastest, and provides a comfortable and sweet ass ride to look the bomb in. The efficiency of it just isn't on the cards - this is why all the past jags get about 22mpg - there's nothing under that bonnet to save the user money. Nothing at all! And that's the way their customer base likes it! So now they produce what can only be a vastly overpriced sports car based on saving fuel and money which wasn't an issue to their consumer in the first place. If they really wanted to tackle the electric car market, they'd release a car that's equally based on spec, performance, and efficiency - Jaguar have NEVER done this, they produce cars based on spec and performance - just like Aston Martin. That aside, if they did decide to change pace and offer the world a real alternative to their 22mpg cars - shouldn't it logically be affordable for people who are looking to save money? Its kinda like inventing a warp drive that can only take you 5 feet down the road....OK that's great...but....y'know.... Again I tried to add something and it demands you write a reason before deleting what you've written and putting you back to square one. That's a feature that really needs changing.

[soulsyfn]

The real reason for all of these concept cars is to test out what will and will not work. They put these elements in a car that looks pretty and futuristic to get attention and then do the market research to see what can actually be useful. Will people buy this jag? probably but the real end game is technology that can be used in the mass market. With that in mind, I really like seeing these vehicles and looking at the crazy shit that people come up with... turbines? really? "turbines to speed!"

[Publius]

Interesting. I wonder what the potential is for applying the turbo-electric drive concept to less exotic vehicles.