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5.17.08 - Impossible efficiency?, by Kevin Hecht, IMW
While debating the future car, we are at a crossroads. We need to choose efficiency, but we have so many people who think more efficiency simply is NOT possible. My father-in-law (a well educated engineer and a veteran) told me flat out that cars can’t be more efficient. I used to work for GM. They have said for decades now that cars can’t be significantly more efficient (even when they had one that was). One of my co-workers, despite being a VERY intelligent person, seems to honestly believe that cars somehow can’t be much more efficient. Even worse, Congress actually had to debate whether or not to raise CAFÉ, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, a federally mandated minimum for an automaker’s fleet, as if there were valid arguments for keeping it as low as it is (the lowest on Earth, I think).
If I told you that a car could be made to go 55 mph on nothing more than the energy in the sunshine that fell on it (NO gas, NO plug in, NO other energy of any kind) you might tell me that it can’t be done. The fact is, it has been done. They are the Sunraycers. An article about the first such car, and namesake, can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunraycer
If I told you that a vehicle powered only by a person (and a strong athlete can only generate a little more than one horsepower long enough to do this) could go over 60 mph, you might tell me that it can’t be done. Again, it has been done. One cyclist has set many different records at varying distances as seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Whittingham
It should be noted that, even using a typically efficient ordinary engine, the kind of power required by either of these vehicles can be generated by burning about 1/10th of a gallon of gasoline per hour. Please do the math and see what kind of fuel economy is possible (Hint: “miles per gallon” is just “miles per hour” divided by “gallons per hour”.). You’ll be amazed.
The USA was once the greatest nation on Earth. We built, from scratch and with no recipe book, the Atomic Bombs that ended World War II. We built, from scratch and with no recipe book, ships that flew through the cold hard vacuum of space and carried Mankind to the moon and back. Am I supposed to believe now that we can not find a solution to the relatively simple (and related) problems of having less oil to burn and less room in the Earth’s atmosphere to dump the resulting CO2? Seriously, efficient cars are simple compared to the Manhattan Project and Project Apollo. And once we are driving these highly efficient cars, our demand for oil will be so low that we’ll be able to export to the world market rather than import, and, let’s face it, at these prices it’s better to be exporting.
3.17.08 - Can't, by Josh Spradlin, IMW.
As I sit here, on the eve of innovation, and in the presence of inspiration, I am reminded of the one word that was most likely thrown in the face of inventors, and dreamers across the ages. CAN'T.
I would be willing to bet that that single word was heard by most, if not all, of the greatest thinkers and problem solvers immediately previous to their breakthroughs. "You can't do that!" "It's not possible." "You must be mad to think that this can or will work" For some, such adversity to new and unconventional ideas would result in a loss of confidence in said idea. For others it is merely the catalyst, the drive, the determination to press forward. To prove the doubters wrong, and to usher in new lines of reasoning. Fresh avenues to explore, and trains of thought that go against the norms of a complacent society. And that is what we have become. A complacent society, so obsessed with what we can get, and how fast we can get it, that we don't give ourselves the opportunity to step back and question what IS possible if we would just apply ourselves a bit more.
This country was built by innovators and free thinkers. Completely average men and women who saw needs for certain things, and built solutions to fulfill those needs. It seems that these days, most average people are more willing to sit idly by and let someone else think of new things, than to question the way things are in the world they live in. It doesn't take much to alter the path of technology. A slightly different approach to existing innovation, and you have the possibility to change the world without radically changing the accepted way of living.
This is a call to arms for the average. The majority. To people not concerned about profit margins. To the everyday people that, if given a chance, have the undeniable power to change the world. It is us, the faceless sea of ordinary citizens, that are responsible for the greatest inventions in history. Inventions born out of passion, necessity, and the hope for a better world for our future generations.
Five average guys working out of a converted machine shed in the middle of corn country can't possible change the world can they? Can't? Not only CAN we, but we can do so with nothing but the best of intentions, the purest resolve, and a passion to change the status quo. Change is inevitable.
Do you just want to sit there and let yourself be absorbed in the changes that OTHER people think you need? OR would you rather develop your own ideas, and see where they can lead you, me, and the world? Prepare yourself to hear that ever popular word. "Can't." But remember, the greatest breakthroughs and innovations in history came about after that word was spoken. After the Wright Brothers first flight at KittyHawk, the words "Man can't fly" ceased to be a truth.
Too much is focused on what we can't do. Now is the time to step back, lace up our boots, and say "What CAN we do, if we just look at things a little differently?", and dive headfirst into the pool of new achievements, unconventional thinking, and fresh resolve to make this place a better place to live. Change the world. Audere est Facere!
2.19.08 - A Real Economic Stimulus Package, by Kevin Hecht, IMW
Our Nation’s leaders have hammered out an agreement to put a pile of money into the hands of citizens like you and me. The President signed the bill Wednesday, so it’s official. Get ready to have your (and our) economy boosted.
What are you going to do with all that money? Spend it on gas? If I did the calculation correctly, my family will get a $1500 rebate. Now, I think I am below average when it comes to gas purchases, but even I will spend way more than $1500 on gas this year. Hold on to that thought for one minute and think about this one, too.
From the KAKE (TV) website, somebody thought to ask this important question and got this important answer:
Q: Where does the money come from?
A: The government will borrow the money to pay for the rebate, which is projected to cost about $117 billion over the next two years, adding to the federal deficit.
So we have these two important thoughts:
One – This rebate is smaller than most peoples’ fuel purchases needed just to drive to work and;
Two – This rebate represents a really expensive program for the federal government, costing even more than the Apollo moon missions.
What if we did this instead: Provide some economic assistance to those teams that are trying to win the Automotive X Prize, say 1 Billion dollars apiece (approximately the cost to tool up a plant for large scale automobile production), and let them tool up and begin production of 100 mpg cars. There are presently about 47 teams, so this revolutionary idea would cost less than ¼ as much as the Economic Stimulus Package and yet the return is huge. Every person who can drive one of these cars will have his or her annual fuel bill cut from an average of $3,000 to about $600. Every 1/10 of the fleet that is replaced starts saving our economy about $30 Billion per year, every year, in imported oil alone.
And that money goes into the local economy like this: In my family, which is about to have 3 drivers, I would save over $5,000 if average! I could, instead, buy gifts and toys and meals out. Maybe I would even buy some solar collectors and make my house more efficient. Which do you think I would rather have – a one-time $1500 check from Uncle Sam or $5,000 that I didn’t spend on imported oil? And that is just for the first year. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to see that THAT would stimulate the economy.
2.8.08 - Lifeweek and other media, by Kevin Smith, IMW
I haven't been able to get ahold of the reporter from Lifeweek, so I don't have confirmation, but I suspect his article ran in the 2-4-08 issue. Here's why - I ran their page through the AltaVista Babelfish program and spotted this blurb:
[ Specially reported ] the environmental protection automobile technology crazily with innovates for X time
"Makes it only to need the value 100,000 US dollars molds, 3 skilled workers may with ease assemble. Certainly, our goal not only is composes suffices the stick automobile, is the hope can let all people know will not be able to wait the automobile which huge, will be concerned only about profit to make the giant or 1 million US dollar ranks future passenger vehicle undertakes changes us to go on a journey the way, reduces the duty which the greenhouse gas will discharge."
"Crazily?" Hmmmm....
The blurb in its original Chinese can be found here. If you're a subscriber to Lifeweek and can verify that the issue does contain an article about the AXP and maybe even Team Illuminati, I'd love to hear from you.
In other news, Illinois Times (Springfield, IL weekly magazine) will be interviewing the team next week, and a two page article about us will be in the March issue of Illinois Country Living (statewide printed magazine and web site).
1.26.08 - Radio Show, by Kevin Smith, IMW
The Fly Over Zone radio show had me as a guest this morning. My voice is shot from this cold, so I tried to croak out the information about the AXP and IMW as best I could. One of the other guests, Dr. Paul Mach, came on early to talk about a biofuel jet he knows about and during our discussion, when it got back to IMW and support for the project, he whipped out his wallet and handed me a five dollar bill.
Mental note: I really have to go to Pay Pal and figure out the donation button thing.
Not much else to say or much time to say it. Josh is coming over to help with the car today. I need to get moving.
1.20.08 - Progress in three locations, by Kevin Smith, Illuminati Motor Works
Yesterday Josh, Thomas, and I were working in two locations on parts from donor vehicles. It was damn cold outside (5 F) and it takes dedication to work on metal when you think your fingers are going to fall off.
Today I'm completing an email interview with a reporter from China. Sanlian Lifeweek was planning on covering the team and the competition in an upcoming article and I'm thrilled that the reporter contacted me for clarification on a few points. I have a feeling I'll be using BabelFish to translate the finished article - the site seems to only be in Chinese!
Jen has volunteered to attempt to create vector graphics of our design concepts, and I think I can hear her bashing her head against the keyboard in the other room.
1.17.08 - Thank You!, by Kevin Smith, Illuminati Motor Works
I'd like to thank everyone who has contacted me recently to volunteer services or offer support. If I haven't yet got back to you, I haven't forgotten you. Right now I'm amazingly busy with the project, but I will try to respond as soon as I have a moment to breathe deeply and think clearly.
The response has been wonderful. It's great to know that while the world needs a more efficient means of transportation, individuals are so passionate about the need that they want to help make this innovation a reality. Is the US market ready? You bet. So much so that they can't wait to help build it themselves. Thank you.
1.6.08 - 100 bucks a barrel, by Kevin Hecht, Illuminati Motor Works
Today is the day that I got the news. Some thought it could never happen. Others had predicted it for a long time now. The price of oil has hit $100/barrel.
Even if you don’t believe in Global Warming (which should be discussed as Anthropogenic Global Warming in this context) or that oil is a finite resource (and I actually know people who believe that the Earth is actually making more oil right now) you now have a very good reason to burn less oil.
The fact that a barrel of oil yields about 30 gallons of gasoline means that the raw materials alone now account for about $3 toward the price of each gallon of gasoline that you buy. Never mind that there is some price associated with the recovery, delivery (think supertankers), refining, distribution, and storage. And don’t even think of the hidden cost of use (carbon emissions).
You are, quite simply, making a bad trade for your money. If you are average, you burn about 20 gallons per week. That is, in rough numbers, about 1000 gallons per year. Now, you might say that you could budget $3,000 per year for something that you must have, but this is dangerous for a couple of reasons. First, because you must have it, you probably didn’t budget formally. You are simply taking away from something else. Perhaps your travel budget decreased or you simply aren’t buying as many toys or treats for yourself or your friends and relatives. Hopefully this didn’t affect your food. Second, and probably more importantly, the amount of money you send “over there” has increased rather dramatically. You probably think your $2,000 doesn’t matter that much but here is why it does. You might be average. The affect of the hundreds of millions of these average trades is not so small. In fact, over $1,000,000,000 of your money goes “over there” each day. That is a Billion dollars a day. Every day. It is almost too many dollars to think about. I think it helps to think of it in terms of projects instead.
What is the most expensive thing you can think of? The Space Shuttle is an expensive machine. Some say it is the most complex and expensive machine ever built. You could buy a new one on just 4 Days of Imported Oil (4 DIO). The whole International Space Station project (which many people thought was too expensive) costs only 40 DIO. The Apollo program which landed men on the moon and was, arguably, Mankind’s Greatest Achievement, cost only 100 DIO in today’s dollars. The most expensive program I could find, the Interstate highway system, was only 128 DIO. That’s just 4 months.
Can you imagine building a whole new transportation infrastructure for the whole country in about one third of a year? Can you imagine what that could do for our economy? Can you even begin to visualize what effect pumping that kind of money into US could do for us? That is half of why your $2,000, going “over there”, is a big deal. I am not even ready to talk about the other half now.
Is there any way to do something about all this imported oil? Of course there is, but still, you have to wonder why it looks as if there isn’t. It seems that at least part of the problem is the result of a status quo. Some of it might also result from a “system” that is simply too big to fight. Perhaps there was also a failure of leadership to see the issue or develop some sort of plan to address it. Maybe it was simply a bad case of “not my problem.” Still, it is a problem for all of us, and the sooner we solve it, the better things will be for all of US. Here is what to do and how to do it.
In a word, economy. In this case, fuel economy. And before you say, “It can’t be done” or, “I’m not driving a tuna can” or, “If it could be done, fill-in-the-blank would have done it already” or any number of excuses, look at this. There are people working to make real cars achieve real, amazing, fuel economy. Many of them are preparing right now to compete for the Automotive X Prize. All strive for over 100 miles per gallon. Some are hoping for much more. I have seen some reports of over 300 mpg. Interestingly, none of them is a major automaker. Yet. These are people who see not just a problem, but a solution. Although I would like to see a major automaker do this important work, I simply don’t think that they can see the clear need for it. And I know that we can no longer wait for them to start seeing things this way. It therefore becomes important that somebody else do this. If many of us drove 100 mpg cars, then several of our problems would be solved at once. Perhaps the greatest benefit that you would see is that $2,000 being spent to make your community better. This year, and each year after. And even if you didn’t believe that Anthropogenic Global Warming or a finite oil reserve were problems, this certainly wouldn’t make things worse.
Help one of those contenders, any way you can.
1.5.08 -We'd like to thank everyone who has sent us well wishes, good ideas, and advice. A couple people have asked if there would be a blog on the site. Frankly between our work at our day jobs, our lives with our families, and, of course, our time spent working on the car, we're spread a little thin. But we're realizing that sometimes there's just something that has to be said, and this page is where we'll post it.
More will be coming soon. Stay tuned.
