----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Pensinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 1:34 PM Subject: Re: Efficient bus
> On Sat, 27 Dec 2003 20:23:41 +0100, Jean-Marc Chaton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > * William T Goodall [Sat, 27/12/2003 at 16:47 +0000] > >> http://www.rnw.nl/science/html/031215wheel.html > > > > Yeah that's very interesting but not new, It's basicaly a bus version of > > an hybrid car like the Prius sold by Toyota since 97 (BTW, it's > > definitely my next car) the extra plus of that bus is the space saving > > location of the electrical engine : in the wheels. > > It makes so much sense, too, ya gotta wonder why it hasn't been done > before. Is the necessary technology state of the art? Not really. Its basically a new approach to design. Looking at E-Traction's webpage, one gleans that they were originally involved in finding greater efficiencies for electric forklifts and at some point hit upon this idea as a way to remove the inefficient friction of a driveshaft. Now, obviously, this design approach is not practical (if at all possible) with an internal combustion powerplant. And it is also obvious that current hybrid designs are evidence of engineers who are locked into older ways of thinking about design and implementation. E-Traction's approach is a real "thinking out of the box" attack on a design problem, and one that coincidentally happens to solve other problems and have other benefits. But there is actually no new tech involved, just some good brainwork. The inverted rotor/stator design is such an obvious and elegant solution to an electric drive for vehicles that one does wonder why it hadn't been thought of before. But I think that shows just how difficult it is to "think out of the box". xponent Drivetrain Maru rob _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
