I just learned about this new hybrid sportscar, the Scorpion; presumably aimed at the Tesla Electric Roadster. Unlike the Tesla, the Scorpion will use an internal combustion engine that burns a mixture of gasoline and hydrogen. Ronn Motor Company, the Austin-based startup that will manufacture the Scorpion, claims that this will result in lower emissions and improved fuel economy. Even if it doesn’t, they certainly got the styling right - this thing looks hot!

I’m a little skeptical of their claims, however, since the hydrogen is apparently generated on-demand using electrolysis of water. This has historically been thermodynamically unfavorable; it simply requires more energy to split water into it’s component parts (Hydrogen and Oxygen) than you get back from burning them. The technology RMC is using is from a company called Hydrorunner; their specialty is apparently crafting electrolysis systems to generate hydrogen as needed for blending with gasoline to improve fuel economy. Again, I’m skeptical that this sort of a sytem could improve fuel economy, as the electricity used to split water is generated by the gasoline engine itself - in a closed system like that, it’s hard to see where the extra energy (to improve the fuel economy) is coming from. That said, it’s certainly possible that the system works as described, and if nothing else the machine is one sexy beast.

Filed under: Cars | Transportation — Max @ 9:08 pm