Transportation
Uncommon Knowledge: Automotive Platform Sharing’s Potential Impact on Advanced Technologies
Automakers are embracing with vigor the strategy of dedicated platform sharing, which portions common design, engineering, and production efforts over a number of outwardly distinct models. Platform sharing mixes lower-volume “differentiating” technologies to increase market attractiveness with higher-volume “standardized” technologies to lower overall costs. Disruptive advanced technologies like polymer composites…
Strategy for the Hydrogen Transition
This paper describes the rapid, practical, and profitable commercialization path for fuel cells and hydrogen that can be executed by coordinating convergent trends in several industries. The strategy described here relies on existing technologies, can begin immediately, and proceeds in a logical and viable sequence. It has two preconditions: uncompromised…
Advanced Composites: The Car is at the Crossroads
This paper about advanced composite technology in automobiles was presented at the International Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering Symposium and Exhibition in 1998. The paper provides strategic recommendations for composite firms seeking to join the lightweight automotive material market, describes potential opportunities for advanced composite technology…
Speeding the Transition: Designing a Fuel-Cell Hypercar
This paper discusses the transformation in automotive technology that could accelerate the transition to fuel-cell-powered transportation. The authors write that ultralight, advanced-composite, low-drag, hybrid-electric Hypercars could be three to fourfold more efficient and one or two orders of magnitude cleaner than today’s cars, yet equally safe, sporty, desirable, and affordable.
Hypercars: FAQ
In this document, Amory Lovins responds to questions about the Hypercar, RMI’s conceptual vehicle that combines ultralight and ultra-aerodynamic design, a hybrid-electric drivesystem, and other features to achieve very high fuel efficiency and very low emissions. The questions that he answers include: what is a Hypercar vehicle, how could Hypercar…