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"The Future is a Concept"
- Anthony J. Ochs
Imagine a government agent speeding down the block in a hydrogen fuel-celled vehicle called the FCX, which is virtually running on water. He is chasing a futuristic car called the NARO, which narrowly escapes him by taking a sharp turn down a back alley. If you are a science fiction fan you are probably thinking that this sounds like something out of a Philip K. Dick novel. Yet what may seem like fiction can actually be reality. The future depicted by science fiction writers no longer seems like just a concept. Technology continues to take us closer and closer to a world that reflects the futuristic hallucinations had by authors of sci-fi. In the first decade of the new millennium the automobile industry has had groundbreaking technological breakthroughs. The success of the Toyota Prius, as well as many other hybrids to follow, has launched what was once a concept in itself, into a new reality. There are many other concepts in the automobile industry today. These concepts may one day come together and formulate a master plan where vehicles are 100% pollutant free.
called the FCX. The U.S. government has actually been using the first prototypes of these vehicles in certain government fleets. The hydrogen fuel cell concept is actually older than you would think. The first operating hydrogen vehicle was actually invented in 1860. Since then some have accused the government, along with large oil companies, of purposely holding back and halting the progression of this concept in order to help fund multi-billion dollar oil/ automotive industries. Yet in our current situation on earth we must look to alternative sources of fuel to offset the scarcity of fossil fuels. which focuses on further developing technology to create the most environmentally efficient cars on the road. This technology has made advancements in diversifying fuel sources including perfecting the use of hydrogen as an alternative option. A car that can virtually run on water! Honda has always been a company that showed dedication towards reducing pollution. Their legacy dates back to the creation of the Civic CVCC in 1974. The CVCC was known for its never before achieved low levels of emissions and fuel efficiency. Miles per gallon was the big issue addressed with this vehicle in 1974 yet there are bigger issues to address in 2007. With the development of the 2007 Civic hybrid, Honda proves that they continue to advance their technology to keep pace with changing needs of time. Now the FCX may be flooding the streets in a not so distant future. It is proof of even bigger and better things to come, and Honda hopes to leave all competition in the rear view! The NARO is an independent company concept of fuel efficiency that is well beyond the Honda Civic of 1974. With the aerodynamics of a motorcycle, this comfortable little car will be twice as efficient as a conventional automobile. By cutting the size and weight of a regular car in half, the efficiency doubles. Ironically to keep CO2 emissions at bay in order not to cause any further damage to the environment, the cars of today must double their efficiency. seems like the perfect choice. NARO technology is a direct descendant of research carried out by Prodrive in 2003. The Narrow Car Company adopted this concept and licensed it. Now the company foresees a future where this vehicle can actually be mass produced, sold wholesale, and offered to the public. Yet the question remains whether or not the public will adopt such a radical concept? The NARO appears more like a space pod or a new age golf cart when compared to the SUV's that Americans are hooked on. It is not about a new way of driving, it is about a new way of thinking. The time is now for the public to start thinking differently when it comes to the vehicles they own. Not only will the NARO help the environment through its low CO2 emissions, but it will also cut down on traffic, and the lack of available space for parking in the more congested cities. has pitched it's product as a possible use for various delivery services as well as taxicabs. Imagine getting a Dominoes pizza delivered in a piece of cutting edge automotive technology, rather than by a teenager riding a moped. The NARO also has something called a free leaning feature which allows for the driver's body movements to play a part in steering the vehicle. Whether or not such a radical idea could be successfully marketed to our present day society remains to be seen. Yet the deteriorating resources within society may force us to adopt such a concept one day. A day when the streets may be filled with various prototypes which were all based on the initial research carried out by Prodrive. of the need for petroleum is saving the environment, but saving money comes in a close second. Gasoline and oil prices have recently suffered from the most horrid effects of inflation in years. Prices have risen due to scarcity. As an average consumer gas prices now take up a greater sum of our income and daily expenses. and Chevy is doing their part to help contribute to the cause. They have developed a concept electric plug-in car called the Chevy Volt. Sometimes we all feel plugged in to some giant economic machine. Yet the Chevy Volt is a machine that you plug in which can help relieve both economic and environmental problems. It would reduce or eliminate the need for fossil fuels, lessening the expense of an average commute to work which is usually 40 miles or less. This would give you funds to spend in a more productive way or just to put away and save. The Chevy Volt can run on electricity, gasoline fuels, E85, or bio-diesel. What makes the Volt so special is its innovative driving system. It is a rechargeable electric drive system with a range extending power source¯. which was utilized by Chevy when creating the Volt. Greenhouse emissions are destroying the atmosphere and can one day lead to a dark future where the bright sun scorches the earth and every living thing in it. Inventions like the Chevy Volt are evidence that human beings are being more proactive when it comes to combating these negative visions of the future. that still remains is being able to produce and manufacture such electric vehicles at an affordable price. Only then will they become practical to the average consumer. As we see with electric plug-in sports cars like the Venturi Fetish, they can get quite expensive which defeats part of the purpose of getting an electric car to begin with. To overcome the obstacles that the production line presents when it comes to manufacturing electric vehicles, the Monaco based Venturi car company, decided to make only 25 demo models and charge a price of 400,000 dollars for each one. It can reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour with 330 horse power. You've heard of miles per gallon well how about miles per juice. The Fetish can travel one mile for every minute of juice¯. This can help consumers figure out exactly how long they will have to charge the 100-Lithium-Ion battery packs of the Fetish in order to give it enough voltage to last a certain distance. Yet until the price per unit is more realistic and affordable, electric hybrid cars will never be popular enough to last in the automobile industry. With the development of the Volt concept, Chevy engineers had light bulbs over their heads because their electric car idea can actually be practical enough to be marketed to the general public. That goal is to do our part as individuals to help decrease our impact on the environment. There are many routes to take to achieve that goal but all other roads wind around one main street where only eco cars can be ridden. By driving a green automobile you are decreasing your negative effects on the earth many times more than merely recycling a can. We are witnessing a new pioneering technology which comes in various forms that all share the same common goal. The history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques for doing practical things. There is a concept that history keeps repeating itself. Concept cars are evidence of this truth. http://corporate.honda.com http://www.naro.co.uk http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar http://www.hybridcars.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History
Last update : 05-05-2008 23:07
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(2 votes)
car of the future
By: MrNamuro (Registered) on 12-16-2011 20:04