What about the gas guzzlers?

Posted Jun 3, 2024 9:15 UTC (Mon) by Wol (subscriber, #4433)
In reply to: What about the gas guzzlers? by malmedal
Parent article: Opt Green: KDE Eco's New Sustainable Software Project

> Interestingly, because electric motors are so superior, the largest mining trucks have used them since long before global warming became a concern, they typically have one or more diesel engines running generators that then power the electric motors. This is much less hassle than trying to design a combustion engine plus gearbox large enough to turn the wheels.

And this technology is pre-war. I used to read a lot of autobiographies, and it was clear that (war)ships with this technology - be it diesel or fuel-oil-powered gas turbine, were just so much more responsive, and if required could get under way in minutes rather than hours.

I've thought right from the early days of electric cars that they should replace piston engines with small gas turbines, that would burn almost anything, and use that to drive electric motors in the wheels. Households could use waste cooking oil almost straight into the car engine :-)

Cheers,
Wol