1!&&&&&'Item Subject: HEVN(USCAR: two decades,family car very likely could be a HEV sedan) [The Internet Electric Vehicle (EV) List Newz. For Public EV informational purposes. Contact source for reprint rights.] --- DETROIT, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- If you thought the automobile's first 100 years were exciting, you haven't seen anything yet. That's the prediction of Mike Thomas, executive director of the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR). USCAR is the umbrella organization formed by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors to strengthen the technology base of the domestic auto industry through cooperative research. "The industry today is on the verge of major technical innovations that may be almost as far-reaching as the switch from horses to horsepower," said Thomas. "Technological changes in just the next 20 years will have a dramatic impact on the automobile ... on its power source, fuel efficiency, safety; its positive impact on the environment, how it's built and the materials to build it ... even what happens when the vehicle has outlived its usefulness," he predicted. For example, to help improve fuel economy, automotive scientists are developing cost-effective methods to reduce vehicle weight, including aluminum body structures polymer composites, high-strength steel designs that use less material, and ceramics. Within the next two decades the family car very likely could be a hybrid that will have the range and performance of today's sedan. It will be virtually pollution-free, and it will be affordable. Initially its primary powerplant could be a compact gas turbine generating electricity for the propulsion motors, but within 20 years industry scientists hope fuel cells will be a viable electric energy source. Another promising feature likely to be found on tomorrow's vehicles is "regenerative" braking, which captures energy normally wasted during braking and uses it as additional power on board the vehicle. The builders of these future cars likely will have several practical, proven technologies available within the next decade or two for storing electrical energy on board: super-efficient batteries, ultracapacitors and flywheels. Faster, better, less expensive ways to design, develop, build and test the vehicle and its systems of the future is another of the most active areas of automotive research. "A lot of space-age technologies are being researched as potential candidates for automotive applications," said Thomas, "but they won't have any use at all if they can't be mass produced economically." In addition to design, production and operations, industry scientists are developing techniques for increasing the recyclability of the vehicle of tomorrow once its useful existence is over. In safety, extensive research is being conducted in both occupant protection and -- perhaps more importantly -- collision avoidance. USCAR was formed in 1992. In 1993, ongoing government research was aligned with USCAR in the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) to help speed the development of vehicles that are cleaner, more fuel efficient and more easily recyclable. CO: United States Council for Automotive Research ST: Michigan IN: 06/21/96 08:38 EDT ... PRNewswire, (eincande@prnews.attmail.com) Fax# 415-543-3555, Tel# 415-543-7800, 71 Stevenson, Suite 1120, SF, CA 94105 USA http://www.prnewswire.com --- ____ Bruce Parmenter {Statements may not be my Employer's} ~/__|o\__ (BruceDP@aol.com) Fax: 408-746-5368 '@----- @'---(= Get Amp'd 'Electric cruis'n the Santa Clara Valley' 120V '85 S-10 Blazer EV List Newz Editor Sunnyvale,CA,USA EAA San Jose Chapter EVents officer http://members.aol.com/sjeaa/ HEVN(USCAR: two decades,family car very likely could be a HE very likely could be a HEV sedan) [The Internet Electric Vehicle (EV) List New(i/[ .i/i [ [E E0\[\\\[.i/i\k\/k`/ih,dQW'QSI22z-t*p8~VX @ B 8  N    U  V j p U*oU  V j p U*o Arial its power source, fuel efficiency, safety; its positive impact on the environment, how it's built and the materiiciency, safety; its positive impact on the environment, how it's built and the materi