[Mark]

In March BMW announced that it would establish a new research division called ‘Project i,’ whose task will be to develop a number of solutions for a vehicle designed for congested city motoring. The goal of Project i was never to exclusively develop one type of vehicle or another, but to come up with a range of technologies BMW could introduce across its fleet or even under a rumored fourth brand (the first three being BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce).

Project i will run independently to BMW and has been given until the middle of the next decade to develop a concrete solution for the city car. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, BMW Group representative for environmental protection and sustainability Herbert Höltschl confirmed that BMW wants to eventually produce a zero-emissions vehicle, but explained that Project i has also been tasked with coming up with innovative production techniques that reduce energy and water usage.

Höltschl also revealed that BMW’s future city car will be developed for global consumption, but stressed that its technology will be advanced enough to maintain BMW’s performance driving image. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer, meanwhile, has previously stated that a decision on the drive system will be made by the end of the year.

[beemah]

sounds very very interesting folks!

[Mr.Metak2you]

Todays News:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n4182515.shtml

[x5love]

i for isetta

[Kiemyster]

meh. hydrogen solves nothing in terms of pollution.

the real solution:

Biofuels based on hemp, and not our crops. Because of our boost in biofuel consumption (globally) is one of the main reasons why we are having a world crisis.

Heres to hemp, and to the stubbornness of our world leaders who will indefinately fuel and accelerate the end of mankind!

cheers

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by Kiemyster

meh. hydrogen solves nothing in terms of pollution.

the real solution:

Biofuels based on hemp, and not our crops. Because of our boost in biofuel consumption (globally) is one of the main reasons why we are having a world crisis.

FAIL!!!!!!

[Haywire]

yeah, its too bad they crushed all this technology in the 90's... GM already developed a wonderful zero emission vehicle, the electric car (ev1)

it would be nice to see a company make a few of these and stand by the technology.

hydrogen was never going to happen. pipe dreams and propaganda.

[ArmyBimmerDude]

Originally Posted by e46e92love

FAIL!!!!!!

[BLITZ]

Electric cars have no soul.

[x5love]

How will hydrogen cars not work??

The emission is nothing but water!

[scottp7]

surely if every car on this planet was emissioning water, then the existing problem of rising sea levels would get extremely bad ???

[ihyln]

Originally Posted by scottp7

surely if every car on this planet was emissioning water, then the existing problem of rising sea levels would get extremely bad ???

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by x5love

How will hydrogen cars not work??

The emission is nothing but water!

Hydrogen is a good idea but its really expensive. The catalyst, commonly Platinum, is a pretty expensive material and if there was a market for hydrogen cars, the cost of the catalyst would just increase even more. Not only that but I don't know if I'd want Hydrogen car. I'm not sure how the fuel cells actually react with sparks of energy, but I do know that H2 + oxygen and a flame will cause a release in energy--not sure I'd want to be driving something that may be capable of instantly exploding after a severe car accident. Lastly, i think it takes energy to make the fuel for the hydrogen cars--correct me if I'm wrong. & if it takes energy, it most likely comes from Coal Power plants which is what the US primarily uses as a source of energy. From what I remember, the US hasn't built a new nuclear power plant since the 1990s and alternative energy is still a small %age.

[jhcao1472]

Originally Posted by just4kickz

Hydrogen is a good idea but its really expensive. The catalyst, commonly Platinum, is a pretty expensive material and if there was a market for hydrogen cars, the cost of the catalyst would just increase even more. Not only that but I don't know if I'd want Hydrogen car. I'm not sure how the fuel cells actually react with sparks of energy, but I do know that H2 + oxygen and a flame will cause a release in energy--not sure I'd want to be driving something that may be capable of instantly exploding after a severe car accident. Lastly, i think it takes energy to make the fuel for the hydrogen cars--correct me if I'm wrong. & if it takes energy, it most likely comes from Coal Power plants which is what the US primarily uses as a source of energy. From what I remember, the US hasn't built a new nuclear power plant since the 1990s and alternative energy is still a small %age.

Please do not forget that gasoline is another fuel source that contains a lot of energy and can explode.
Anyways, I think Hydrogen fuel can be used in a modified internal combustion engine. However, the problem is being able to store it long term because it can just leak, like air leaking from a balloon.

[Ryan@Motorwerks]

There isn't really a source of just hydrogen, it needs to be "made", which takes energy. So basically you are transfering one energy to another, which isn't that efficient.

[NaTuReB0Y]

The 7 Series BMW Hydrogen only sells for $1,000,000

Any takers?

[AlexR545]

1) BMW 7 Series Hydrogen cost was never set. It was offered to high profile executives and celebrities as a 0 cost lease.
2) Hydrogen is not a source of power it is a transport - so is electricity that is stored in batteries on electric powered vehicles. Same goes for BioFule you need to produce it.
3) Hydrogen can be produced using electrolysis all you need is electricity, it can also be produced as a bi-product of nuclear reaction. We need more nuclear power plants!!!

[Rusty's508whp]

[Oregano123]

why are these called "fuel cell" cars? they run on batteries?

[J.P.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_ce..._and_refueling

[beemah]

can anybody tell me what is on the roadmap in the next 2 years in the current model lineup for engines that -

a) dont use gasoline?
b) dont use diesel?

as this might be one of my choices when i make my next purchase on my next BMW.

the current gas prices are close to 5$ a gallon and the same goes with diesel. a full tank is costing me around 75 bucks.

whats the story with alternate energy folks? anything in the showroom already?

[E90 ANdy]

hydrogen is an explosive gas, unlike gasoline that'll just burn.. hydrogen goes KABOOM! just think about those rear-end collisions. A ford focus powered by hydrogen was at my school afew months ago, the hydrogen tank took up the back seat and the whole trunk. The engine looks the same but yeah... that sucker is HUGE! anyway.. it cost alot more currently to fill with hydrogen than to stick w/ plain ole' gasoline lol, i believe there is a WAYY better solution to fueling cars. Why dont engineers incorporate Electrolysis?????? What electrolysis? its when you run a current through water and separate the hydrogen from the oxygen. We can use the hydrogen as Immediate fuel (rather than storing it in some massive tank in the trunk) and use the oxygen to burn it that is the solution! Making cars run on water. You need electricity so a small gasoline engine that runs a generator would work, but then again... you can use the same energy produced by the electrolysis to run it :P of course there will be wasted energy that goes into heat and friction of moving parts, it'll still be less waste than what we're getting burning gasoline. Just think about it.. recycled power, turbos make more power by basically recycling the heat and exhaust pressures to spin turbines to make more power, of course there is more fuel needed but damnit, if the car runs on water it doesnt even matter, its like one super-zero emission machine! The vapors will be turned back into water which can be used OVER and OVER again. there will be minimal loss if everything is sealed up correctly, u might need some extra bottles of zephyrhills, if you dont have water, use ice, if you dont have ice use lake water, if u dont have a lake nearby, Nature will let you know what to do lol

electrolysis isnt new technology, basically 2 plates of metal seperated by a non-conductor. You add some salt in the water as the electrolyte and run a current through it. Positive on one plate and Negative on the other. there will be bubbles forming from the top, thats the hydrogen