Chapter Eight

Experimental Vehicles

From ancient times up to the present, experimental vehicles have appeared: in the minds of man, on the drawing board, constructed, and actually run. Researchers, experimenters, backyard mechanics, and inventors have all contributed to bring an incredible array of them before our eyes. Some were destined only to appear on paper. Others made it all the way to a prototype vehicle. And still others actually saw limited production.

Why has there been an on-going need for experimental vehicles?

Experimental vehicles have been pursued to produce ideal human transportation. Ideal features typically include: long lasting power plant, powerful engine, cheap fuel, non-polluting to the environment, long driving range, unique driver comforts, unique vehicle function, use of alternate fuels, etc.

The features of each experimental vehicle typically cover three areas:

• power plant
• fuel
• function of vehicle

Some of the exotic power plants developed include: Stirling motors, steam and gas turbines, nuclear engines, compressed air engines, static electricity motors, jet engines, and hydraulic engines.

A sampling of the different types of fuels considered and/or used include: solid and powdered coal, wood, charcoal, coke, corn cobs, plant oils (soybean and cottonseed), gasoline, natural gas, methane, coal gas, wood gas, alcohol, hydrogen, acetylene, carbon monoxide, nuclear materials, compressed air, static electricity, conventional electricity, hydraulic fluid, solar energy, wind energy, human power, and water.

Many vehicles were designed to perform interesting transportation functions. Some of those functions include: combination car/airplane, combination car/amphibious vehicle, combination car/truck/sports car, combination car/railroad vehicle, cars with swimming pools, and high speed rail travel vehicles.

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