Not sure...

[caled]

Originally Posted by zsserbia

If we finally let the kids to use their imagination, the world could be a better place for all of us

I dont fancy having my car dragged back 300 yeards by a 70ft tall toddler just to drive forward a mile

[peterzs]

Imagine, clockwork cars, I've got a bigger spring in mine!!!

Oh no, where did I put the wind up key???

Sorted, emissions, fuel price increases, no oil changes.

Maybe your on to a winner, zsserbia.

[zsserbia]

If only my wee man would prefer clockwork or flywheel cars over these radio controlled duracell suckers which go depleted hour after hour

Jokes set aside, I really do think KERS is a good idea to save conventional engines that we love for some time, before we all go duracell power or whatever is going to be approved by the oil companies once they're depleted...

[zsserbia]

Originally Posted by caled

I dont fancy having my car dragged back 300 yeards by a 70ft tall toddler just to drive forward a mile

Nooo, it's more like toddler pushes you 300 yards forward and you continue going forward for another 500 free run using sheer power of your 60k rpm massive flywheel after the chap plants his face on the tarmac

[zsserbia]

Done some research and woilla, it's already named flybrid system, originaly an F1 KERS, but now derived and pending application to road vehicles as soon as 2013. The figures are looking good (20-30% fuel savings, 80 hp and lots of tourqe at instant will be able to launch any car from standstill to cruising speed with conventional engine turned off, 150k miles life span). Most realistic fuel saving thingy imo http://www.flybridsystems.com/Roadcar.html

In an F1 it uses as little as 13 litres of space and weighs about 25 kilograms. Great potential for an aftermarket installation, just a matter of time when it will happen. Many will choose these and save fuel rather than superchargers and oversized turbos.
Ironically, the original technology of flywheel energy storage is more than 60 years old but couldn't reach full potential until composite materials like carbon fibre were brought to perfection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flywheel_energy_storage
On top of that, flywheels have been used for decades for storing electricity and they are proved to be much more efficient than modern batteries in applications which require rapid charge/discharge and would last 25 years almost maintenance free.
So, looks like friction toy cars wont be so different than real ones in the future after all.

This may be off topic, sorry about that but as of right now I'm impressed with this technology, so comments are most welcome

British engineering, again, bravo. Chinese would have to pay a lot more to get hold on this

[peterzs]

Or Buy a British Company, that has years of trading and knowledge, just lacking in people buying their product.

Same people that buy, German, Japanese or any make apart from British, for some reason!!!!

[starfire039]

I will never buy a new car, I hate all the bullshit that comes with it. Made me laugh with that newish VAG engine in the Polo that's turbo and supercharged, 1.4 getting 160bhp and 38mph. The K Series VVC gets almost identical power and MPG... nice one for getting that power out a 1.4, but who gives a toss. More stuff to go wrong. I don't recall seeing any engine that has good power and returns a high MPG figure compared to the VVC K series/KV6. 30mpg and 180bhp from a "crappy old Rover", that'll do me fine.

Think when ZS's are too few and far between I'll look at driving a kit car as a daily driver, fast and good on fuel, that's the result of being light!