Trends in Transportation - Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power - page 147

reasons. Congestion also causes mileage to below optimum levels.
As the price of petroleum for gasoline and diesel engines converges
with that of alternate energy sources, new power systems will become more
widely available. Battery-powered electric motors have their advantages;
quietness, low pollution and simplicity. But, their disadvantages of limited
range between recharges (which are also limited), weight, and bulk reduce
their market potential. New battery systems could give better performance
but they have not been available. Lithium ion battery systems have become
more popular for many applications but there have been several reports
of fires in automotive systems. Efficiency can also be increased by using
flywheels to equalize power demands on batteries during acceleration
and hill climbing.
Electric motors are paired with small combustion engines in hybrid
systems with electric power for low speeds and combustion for highway
passing. Hybrid systems offer much better mileage and have proved to be
popular beyond the estimates of most auto manufacturers.
Power systems that run on compressed gases such as propane,
methane, or hydrogen are problematical. Range may be limited since
distribution systems are not in place and each station pump could cost
$30,000. So-called synthetic fuels could be used directly in engines or to
generate electricity from fuel cells for electric motors. Other combustion
engines such as the sterling motor may also become options.
As the auto met America's need for transportation, cars released
people from train and streetcar schedules, allowing them the freedom to
travel at their own pace. Automobiles were marketed using this concept of
freedom. Advertising also stressed the comfort of automobiles free from the
problems of snow or rain. Independence was the message being conveyed.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s many popular cars combined
smooth curved surfaces from aerodynamic studies with the integration of
components into the main body of the car. The visual influences ranged
from aircraft and boats to racing cars.
POST-WAR AUTOS
The post-World War II years brought cheaper, mass-produced cars
which seemed to have the same features as earlier luxury cars. Europe
also moved its car manufacturing into a mass-production industry and
introduced more efficient production methods in their factories.