Question about electric cars, boats and planes

[Guest pavbaz]

We all know that there are electric cars out there, how they work and how efficient they are is an area for debate.

 

But my question is this: is it possible, giving allowance to the current technological state, to build an electric plane or a boat?

 

I'm not so sure about planes, if you think it can be done feel free to write about it.

 

But boats are quite probable. Perhaps some sort of catamaran similar to the one in "Water world" movie would be more appropriate. One would need to install a good array of solar panels, get a cutting edge accumulator and energy efficient motor. What you have is a vessel that can travel unlimited distances.

 

Do you think it is possible?

 

Easily obtainable materials. What about power, would solar panels provide enough power to propel a boat?

[pulkit]

Boats already have wind to support them.

I do therefore think that you can optimize energy usage on one appropriately and it should be possible to build one.

 

Solar panel powered planes, I think you can have some high altitude un manned aircraft that have this feature. You need battery backup for take off and landing when you won't necessary have solar energy. It has therefore already been done.

[Guest pavbaz]

While we are on the subject, if electricity doesn't work out, what other alternative methods of propulsion can one hope for? Note the idea here is to build a vehicle that uses easily obtainable fuels, such as water or sun energy. No petrol. Petrol is 1. can only be obtained in populated areas. 2. It's a dirty filthy way to power your craft.

[pulkit]

Fuel cells are an excellent option.

They powered the apollo mission to the moon (I mean all the power inside the shuttle)

 

I know that a car based on these has also been built, but the problem is that Hydrogen is dangerous to store and the technology at present is kind of expensive.

 

 

Cooking gas and natural gas though fossil fuels are a lot less polluting than petrol or diesel and are used extensively in terrestrial vehicles. I don't know whether they have been used in planes or boats.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Fuel cells are an excellent option.

They powered the apollo mission to the moon (I mean all the power inside the shuttle)

Whoa! The space shuttle can't go to the moon!

Just nitpicking...

 

I know that a car based on these has also been built' date=' but the problem is that Hydrogen is dangerous to store and the technology at present is kind of expensive.[/quote'] Actually it's safer than gasoline. If the gas tank is punctured and the hydrogen lights up, the flame shoots straight up like a blowtorch, since hydrogen is lighter than air. Gasoline just goes Ka-BAM!

But you're right, it is expensive.

 

Actually, there are solar/fuel cell powered planes.

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/NASA.Educational.Products/Pathfinder/Pathfinder.Aircraft.pdf

[YT2095]

electrical powered boats were available in the 50`s

electrical planes (a little more difficult to do) have been in production since the late 70`s to my knowledge. although passenger bearing aircraft, I`ve no data about?

[pulkit]

passenger bearing aircraft

 

I don't think thats been done yet.

 

The one very efficient solar powered aircraft I know of is a very high altitude plane which is un manned and would probably have only one of two uses :

a) Meteorological Data collection

b) Spying

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Ahem.

http://www.kitplanes.com/features/content/FuelCells1.htm

[pulkit]

Interestingly enough this is the exact aircraft I was mentioning. I had seen it on television.

 

I can't figure out whether this craft was unmanned or manned from this website. The prototype on television, didn't have a pilot, it was computer controlled.