The New VW "Dung" Beetle

[ONYX S-13]

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/methane-powered-volkswagen-beetle?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ongoing


Dung Beetle: the car built on poo-power

The next time you flush a weapons-grade cable down the tubes, it could power you to work...

Why? Because a team of British engineers has designed a car which runs on the methane gas from human excrement. Yes - your emissions could be powering the next wave of emission-free motoring.

Using quite complicated technology, this team of boffins is able to utilise the goodness of air-biscuits naturally released from waste, then dump them into your motor.

The creator - GENeco - reckons the nukes dropped by 70 homes is enough to power the car for 10,000 miles, while one sewage works could power 95,400,000 miles per year. This gaseous wizardry could save 19,000 tonnes of CO2.

Having spied the car on its local streets, BBC Bristol also note the crucial point that "Despite being powered by fuel created from sewage, the car does not smell unpleasant."

Still, it does beg the question - given that this is a type of fuel, it's almost certain to be taxed. How will that work? And will one be charged more for the ‘iceberg' and less for the ‘pebble dash'?





I personally think this is the best idea EVER. It kills like 3 serious birds with one stone. It'll be a fuel source that will never go away and the price of the fuel will go down tremendously seeing that every country could produce their own fuel in mass quantities (especially places like china and Africa that have billions of people).

Discuss? :bigok:

[LimeLite Racing]

That is pretty cool.

[lawrenceyang]

bidding will start on my "nukes" at $10

[miravete]

lol

i was thinking it was going to have a seat like a toilet seat, and if your low on "fuel" you just fart one... lolz

[soreballz]

lol

i was thinking it was going to have a seat like a toilet seat, and if your low on "fuel" you just fart one... lolz
I've had that idea for years. Just think... A methane collector in the base of your driver's seat... It's perfect!

[ONYX S-13]

I'd love to have a car like this. Or even convert an old car with a blown motor to run on methane.

I can't see this whole methane thing working though, not enough money can be made by the automakers / big oil / or the govt.

[mrflip69]

Pfft. Only pussies use nitro methane!


:)

I think there's a build thread in NICO's RB section where a guy is running off propane. I'm curious how efficient methane would be.

[S14DB]

Gonna give new meaning to "Guys I need you to chip in for gas."

[spoolandslide]

What a shitty idea. I wouldn't really want to be handling shit all the time.

[SinGarage]

If they hook up a collector for the seat...I could drive cross country hahaha!

[5pecialist]

I want to see this technology really take off. It would be like having a Mr. Fusion!

[mrflip69]

What a shitty idea. I wouldn't really want to be handling shit all the time.

http://www.dahmus.org/blogimg/fry-see-what-you-did-there.jpg

:rofl:

[ONYX S-13]

What a shitty idea. I wouldn't really want to be handling shit all the time.

You wouldn't be. That's just like saying, "I hate having to "handle" gasoline all the time.

When is the last time you had to physically touch your vehicle's fuel supply?

It'll more than likely be in a liquid form that you would have to pump into a fuel tank just like all the other fuels that you use today at fueling stations.

[iROYAL]

When you got to go, then you've got to go.

Gonna give new meaning to "Guys I need you to chip in for gas."

That'll be an awkward moment. lol

[S14DB]

You wouldn't be. That's just like saying, "I hate having to "handle" gasoline all the time.Every time you fill up?

When is the last time you had to physically touch your vehicle's fuel supply?In the process of filling or servicing our cars?

It'll more than likely be in a liquid form that you would have to pump into a fuel tank just like all the other fuels that you use today at fueling stations.
Will probably be like propane powered cars. Lock on the valve and filler up.


I'm just wondering if local municipalities are going to start selling our sewage to methane producers for a profit. Then our sewer and water bills stay the same...

[nevertheless]

Maybe I missed something, but wouldnt it smell terrible?

[S14DB]

Maybe I missed something, but wouldnt it smell terrible?

The Methane would but, Propane has an additive in it that makes it smell almost as bad so you know there is a gas leak.

It doesn't smell after its burned up in the combustion process.

For people that don't read the article. You wouldn't be making this at home like bio-diesel. There would be a methane plant at your sewage treatment plant. You would convert your car to run on LPG/LNG/Methane and fill up like normally at the gas station.

[Kaizen.]

glad to see someone making use out of our shit. Does that mean earth is going to smell like shit to make it greener?! That be crazy if all we had to do is take a dump in our gas tank to get gas lol!!


edit: I just read the above comment! lol scratch that

[el ocho]

Only problem is methane is such a dirty gas. I work at a waste water treatment plant and have methane running one of our boilers and that gas causes nothing but problems. Its a great idea but I cant see this ever being a realistic means of powering a car.

[K_style]

I dont think it will pass smog in CA... LOL

[wh0aitznic0]

It's a great idea, but like every OTHER alternative fuel idea, it's still not going to replace gasoline as our primary source of fuel.

Ever.

[The_Other_Aaron]

I was hoping for a brown car....

[ONYX S-13]

Every time you fill up?

In the process of filling or servicing our cars?


I don't touch my car's fuel while filling up, and I recently changed my radiator and air filter which required not coming close to my car's fuel supply. =P

[stinky_180]

not coming close to my car's fuel supply. =P

may be time to replace the fuel filter

[LimeLite Racing]

i dont think it will pass smog in ca... Lol

lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[!Zar!]

Sounds like it would stink something horrid.

I already hate the shitty smell of bio-diesel.