With the price of oil at over $60 a barrel, combined with emissions concerns and global warming, new technologies are being fast tracked into development. This will inevitably cause a slow death to the gas powered engine, both from becoming obsolete and from further government restriction. Most believe that in the next decade or two, some form of alternative powered vehicles will become mainstream in the marketplace, and eventually fully replace gas powered engines. So the question is, which of the above technologies seems most likely over the long term to become the mainstream power source for future vehicles?

Well I think electric is where it's (gonna be) at, check out www.tzero.com for a fast as Ferrari electric car.




Mike

My bet is hydrogen. My dad is working with some guys that are working on getting grants from the government for hydrogen engines. They have a working hydrogen engine model somewhere in oklahoma.( I cant remember exactly where in OK though) There is some guys in Rockport, TX that are building another one right now as we speak. These same guys are also working on ethanol powered engines to. Im not sure on the details on it this but supposedly it can easily be adapted to almost any engine. So in the next decade we could have hydrogen engines and ethanol engines.


Brad

I will say hybrids will become more popular in the next couple of years.I work on hondas and the civic hybrid has been around a couple of years,I would compare the performance to ford escort,or any economy car.
The first time I drove an accord hybrid I was really surprised at the performance.It,s a pretty fun car.

You will always have a small group that is going to rush out and buy those little ugly square things or the Aztec and yes the hybrid.

But that will be it, the cost difference for a hybrid you could not make up that difference in fuel cost in 10 years and in what, 2-3 years how much will it cost for a new battery PAC? Thousands?

Oh and wait till they have maintenance done out of warranty! Think when these costs get out see what the resale values drop too nothing how much you saved.

For your statement, it is no threat to street rodding for sure.

Hydrogen, ethanol, nor electricity is not the answer to our fossil fuel dependency for energy. Why do I say that? Because fossil fuels are presently consumed at a tremendous rate to produce the hydrogen fuel and electricity and there is a net loss in energy attained: ie it takes more fossil fuel to produce the alternative fuels then they themselves can produce. Since the fossil fuels are consumed, then that pollution is released and then when the alternative fuels are consumed, additional pollutants are released as well. This is part of the total energy equation that the environmental freaks chose to ignore. Ethanol robs our soil of the nutrients required for our food supply and that, my friends, is something the freaks want to ignore as well. I personally like to eat healthy as well as breath good air. That is why I will not live in the big city environment.

In my opinion, our hot rods may become semi museum pieces down the road, but for the most of us, we will have them "cradle to grave".

Trees

I would like to see hydrogen as the main fuel for all cars. They should harness the force of the ocean's tides to power generators used for electrolysis.

As you said, Trees, no matter which form of energy we use, there are some form of negative consequence. It makes me wonder if the world would see a lot more rain or snow from the water vapor coming out of millions of tailpipes.

Paul

what about nuclear energy? Couldn't that be used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis? Nuclear power is emissions free if the nuclear waste is properly disposed of. Sure the costs are much higher, but given the trend here in Canada, the bloody government is willing to make us pay pretty much anything to promote clean air technologies to meet our Kyoto targets.

Stupid government...

Just what is the proper way to dispose of the waste.?
Remember Three Mile Island or Chernobyl.?

Those instances you mentioned were decades in the past, I think better technology and stricter tolerances make a repeat of these catastrophes a remote concern.

I'm no nuclear technician, so I cannot tell you how they actually dispose of the waste. Perhaps Homer Simpson would be the guy to talk to...

Last I heard they were proposing to put it in a deep mine I believe in Utah.

Hydrogen fuel cell- electrics are the wave of the future. Some more development will make them very efficent and self supporting. A very recent development in hydrogen production just about halved the cost of production, or so I read.

Rodding will be around as long as people are. I'll never live long enough to see the demise of the IC engine, Nor do I believe my children will see it.

Jump ahead to 2030 AD: HEADLINE
Fordparolet today announced the release of the new 2031 Camaro GT 440.
Two Months later: Hotcraft rodz
See the buildup of the Camaro GT 440 electricel. How we made 500 hp.
Ads for turbo recyclers, hydrogen injectors, Hi performance rewound motors,
high output fuel cells and Tornado milage increasers that promise another 15 hp

LOL... Fordparolet's Camaro GT 440... ROTFL!!!!

I guess you could see it coming in the world of corporate takeovers...

I can see what you are saying, as long as there is automotive technology, someone will never be content to leave it stock. My thought is that conventional hotrodding, i.e. the internal combustion engine, will see a decline.

Fusion reactors

First off, I really hate that "death of conventional hotrodding" title. What is "conventional" about hotrodding anyway?

See the National Electric Drag Racing Association. My favorite is the line from the driver of a 375 HP Camaro after getting beaten by an electric car:

(From http://www.nedra.com/wayland.html )

[Emphasis added]

OK I get the point...

Should have picked a different title