Cars of the Future

Nova TV (PBS.org) has a very good research item about The Car of the Future. Check out this site!

Model of Efficiency

Two decades ago, physicist and energy expert Amory Lovins came up with a notion he called "Hypercar," a general class of vehicles so fuel-efficient it might, Lovins hoped, radically reduce oil consumption in the U.S. and worldwide. A tailpipe dream? Perhaps not. While the Hypercar SUV that Lovins and colleagues designed in 2000 remains a one-of-a-kind concept vehicle, many automakers are beginning to embrace the underlying principles of Hypercar. In this audio slideshow, Lovins describes the key characteristics that any Hypercar would have, and he offers a glimpse of a Hypercar-like Toyota vehicle that may soon be driving through your neighborhood.—Susan K. Lewis

Beyond Technology

Plug-in hybrids, carbon-fiber composites, hydrogen fuel cells—a wide range of innovative technologies may make our future vehicles more efficient and less reliant on oil. But as David Greene of the National Transportation Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory* explains in this interview, technology alone will not solve the looming crisis we face with our petroleum-powered fleet. We also need smart government policies.

NOVA Open Content: Car of the Future on YouTube


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