Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

CVT's are a great idea but don't seem able to hold up to any HP.

Diesel-electrics only seem useful in trains. I've often wondered why large container ships and the like don't use the setup, but I have to assume a good reason. Those guys would be all over a fuel saving technology if it worked.

Electric boats don't excite me. Until energy storage issues are fixed, we won't be seeing these. Crap, it's hard enough setting up batteries for a trolling motor, let alone something that goes any speed.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

now somebody wants to make one that will sink to the bottom like a lead balloon.

Hey.

Mythbusters proved you could float a lead balloon.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

CVT, isnt that just a reinvented and labeled snowmobile clutching system.

Kinda, yes. Snowmobile clutches are CVTs, but they work vary based on engine RPM. In an automobile CVT the gas pedal would connect directly to the CVT and the CVT itself would control engine speed based on drivetrain loads. Lower RPM (fuel savings) for coasting, high RPMs (power) for accelerating and hill climbing.

Sadly, because of idiots in focus groups, some car makers are programming CVTs to emulate their manual and automatic counterparts, completely removing every single benefit. They make them 'pretend' to shift like an automatic, make them slow the car down when you let off the gas pedal and even make them vary engine RPM as people were apparently offended by a steady running engine.

They are pretty much dooming the CVT in the same manner as they did the electric car. They try to make it act like the tech it is replacing, which essentially makes it a more expensive, more complex version of old tech. The exact opposite of why it was created in the first place.

CVT's are a great idea but don't seem able to hold up to any HP.

I pretty sure my 2000 Neon with a 2.0L isn't too much for a CVT, yet it doesn't have one. I doubt my 3.0L for my boat is too much, as well, and it doesn't have one either. I'm not wondering why drag cars and mustang saleen's don't have them, but real people cars and boats which aren't trawlers.

So many places to have what a snowmobile has had for years, yet only a slim minority of cars have them so far, and the ones they have are super complex. Heck, even if I had to replace a belt every fourth oil change, I'd be okay with that if I was saving plenty of money in gas and not being annoyed with shift-jerk every time I pull off a light or trying desperately to coax my automatic Blazer to downshift to pass a car or climb a hill without it retardedly downshifting into a redline condition.

 

[rbh]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

Ive seen one scooter/motorcycle with a CVT in it, went like stink and smooth, but the brother in law didnt like get laughed at by his harley buddys so he traded it in
I bet if you took your BMW with the CVT tranny into the ski-doo shop they could trick it out really good, they just have to figure out if they are going to adjust the weights and springs for long track powder riding or hole shot drags
rob in the snow and cold

 

[Snobike Mike]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

I pretty sure my 2000 Neon with a 2.0L isn't too much for a CVT, yet it doesn't have one. I doubt my 3.0L for my boat is too much, as well, and it doesn't have one either. I'm not wondering why drag cars and mustang saleen's don't have them, but real people cars and boats which aren't trawlers.

Many Chryslers and all Nissans now (except for trucks) have CVT's. back in 2000 it simply wasn't readily available.

Having said that, CVT can't hold power. They are useless in trucks or anything with high load (read boat). Furthermore, they are essentially a non-servicable item, if it goes you throw it out and get a new one.

Finally, CVT's dont have a nice drivability quotient, hence the need to make them "fake" a real transmission. And for many, the driving experience is a huge part of a car/truck purchase. I hate driving a CVT, it makes me feel disconnected as compared to even a slushbox. In the case of CVT vs manual trans, the disconnection "feel" is simply terrible.

And back to the OP's post, I think they should focus on something like hydrogen since they are literally floating on a ocean of it. Current tech solar simply is not there. Until you can get either much more efficient solar charging (whcih is still only good in the sun) and much better batteries it's nothing more than a money burning proposition.

 

[QC]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

Despite my love for CVTs, I agree with the above in all regards except Hydrogen . . . "The Fuel of the Future, and it always will be . . ."

 

[Snobike Mike]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

"The Fuel of the Future, and it always will be . . ."

I would say I agree, but as many comment on electric power, one can never write-off something like hydrogen.

All I know is I love my internal combustion engines.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

"The Fuel of the Future, and it always will be . . ."

Whadda you mean, fuel of the future??? We've been using it for about 50 years. You can imagine how cheap it is!

LOX and liquid hydrogen, used in the Space Shuttle, the Centaur upper stage, Saturn V upper stages, the newer Delta IV rocket, the H-IIA rocket, and most stages of the European Ariane rockets.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

"The Fuel of the Future, and it always will be . . ."

Awesome! I'll have to remember that line. Witty enough to sneak by most people. Is that part of a quote from the CEO of a venture capital firm in Europe? It sounds familiar.

 

[QC]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

I usually give credit to Andrew Littlefair, CEO of Clean Energy, although he may have picked it up somewhere . . .

 

[45Auto]

Re: Electric Concept Boat In San Diego

130 years ago aluminum was more valuable than gold. Now we make throw-away beer cans out of it .....

Could be the same situation with hydrogen 100 years from now! Buy hydrogen stock now!