Lynne Kiesling
Yes, you saw that correctly, a turbine. According to Wired:
Jaguar Land Rover is working on the car with British gas turbine manufacturer Bladon Jets and electric motor manufacturer SR Drives. The Technology Strategy Board, which funds business development in the U.K., is underwriting the first serious attempt at a turbine car since Volvo built the Hybrid Environmental Concept in 1993. The goal, according to Bladon, is the “world’s first commercially viable – and environmentally friendly – gas turbine generator designed specifically for automotive applications.”
… But the Jag — like the Volvo — would use a miniature gas turbine only to generate juice for the electric motor. Bladon says its axial flow turbines are small, lightweight and run on anything from natural gas to biofuel. That, it says, makes them a great alternative to the conventional engines used in range-extended hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt.
That’s pretty cool! Previous turbine vehicles didn’t make it because they were noisy, so it will be interesting to see if this venture fares any better.
And I love that one of the commenters on the post told one of my favorite jokes:
Q: Why is it the British don’t make computers?
A: Because they haven’t found a way to make them leak oil yet.
When I was a kid my dad had a 1967 Jaguar XKE (burgundy, with black leather seats). I think it spent more time in the shop than on the road, but it was a gorgeous car.
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