We're looking to replace our Vectra at the moment, since we no longer do as many long journeys. 95% of the time, it's now just pootling around London - and a 2.2l car is not really appropriate.

However, almost all of the electric cars (which would be perfect, from what I understand, for stop/go traffic) are not put through the standard car safety tests - and I'm not going to put my 15 month old son in a car that isn't as safe as the one that he's already in.

I imagine a "very light vehicle" is likely to have the same problem - so with the number of 4x4/SUV on the road, it ain't gonna happen.

Maybe the car manufacturers should concentrate on killing the idea of the school run first?

Whilst I'd agree with most of Brian's comments. I'd be surprised if...

"There was a concept for a car built from bamboo (Honda or Yamaha, I think) that could be pedaled in rush-hour traffic"

Can you really see most car users peddling? Is it going to provide a shower... etc... to clean up again afterwards. How hard do you have to peddle to get the aircon working? Is it physically possible to shift out more heat than you generate by peddling.

"Very light vehicles (velomobiles or bicycles) are really the future of personal transportation."

As much as I'd like to believe you that the likes of Gordon Murray and the guys from Caparro can pull off the concept of very light vehicles. I'd be more inclined to think that the future of the personal transportation is the Abraham's tank.

How about using nuclear power plants to generate electricity to electrolyse water to produce hydrogen? It's pretty obvious that Nuclear Power 2.0 (tm) is the way forward ...

Surely the answer has to be compulsory electric milk floats for the masses.

Just think of the advantages... no emissions, no overtaking, little opportunity for speeders, no exploding fuel tanks, no congestion charge, all the electricity you could possibly want and - of course - a handy supply of nutritious milk on tap at all times. With benefits like that it would hardly be worth travelling home at night. That could solve the housing shortage too.

I can't think why this isn't already enshrined in UK law.

Whats the 0 - 60 on these cars?

Anything over 5 seconds I'm not intrested!

What does the engine sound like? Unless it sounds like an angry beast (such as a BDA), Im not intrested!

Nuclear power for electric car = good. Nuclear power to make electricity to make highly explosive, hard to contain hydrogen to fill my car to make electricity to run the car = much more entertaining car crashes. Hollywood was just ahead of it's time.

Nuke -> electricity -> hydrogen -> tanker -> gas station -> car -> electricity

or

Nuke -> electricity -> power line -> car

Why would anyone want to save a few quid on fuel and "save" the planet? I'll stick with my my Petrol powered Jag, I can get from Cardiff to Swansea and back on just under 40 litres lol

perfect for AlGoreans-unless you own a real house (which is difficult to do in CA) you cannot install this "Home Energy Station". Doesn't fit in condos, can't be set up in apartments-only landowners get this "right". Which doesn't bother Hollywood, media twits or California Senators one whit.

Plus, like the electric cars, it allows your power company to completely own your @ss. Government wants to lock people down? Cut off the power (rolling blackouts) and you can't run your reformer. Natural gas (also thru the same company here-and no competition!) can be shut off to an entire city block. In an emergency (earthquake?) and gas is shut off to avoid leaks, you are locked in, unable to drive.

Plus, you're storing compressed gaseous hydrogen at this "energy station". And giving this capability to the Paris Hilton's and Britney Spears' of the world?

Naw, no potential for anything to go wrong there.

It is well known that conventional petrol (and diesel) engines can easily be converted to run on hydrogen gas. Although this is not as efficient as fuel cells, it still does not release carbon dioxide. Sure, you can't go 600 miles on a single tank (without a storage tank of several cubic furlongs volume), but most people do travel less than 30 miles a day.

Which is simpler: having to drill down kilometers into the ocean bed to get what dregs of oil remain, or derive your fuel from an offshore windfarm, powering electrolysers, piping clean pure Hydrogen ashore direct to the filling stations, or even having your own turbine/solar array at home? "Oh! You'd need to invest in infrastructure!" I hear you cry...

Grow up and learn that oil and gas will not last forever. Compunding this with the multitudes of environmental data showing our all-conquering human race making a complete mess of the planet, it is fairly obvious we must change, and fast. The sooner we find our alternatives the better. Whining how the development models of new technologies are not as good as incredibly well developed existing technology is not going to help anyone. I applaud Honda for their efforts. Forget your souped up SUVs and 4x4s for 5 seconds please and quit yerr moanin'.

Yipes. I read "BFG" and immediately thought about big guns.

Then I realized it was not Doom-related. Though using a BFG9000 as a power source for my car might be a good thing! ;)

Arguments that nuclear is a clean and sustainable fuel are misinformed propaganda.

The energy required to build the station, extract the ore, reprocess it, transport it, plus all the associated low level waste disposal and high level waste containment etc. are far and above any notion of 'zero' output.

And of course there's the decommissioning and management of the site after it's useful life.

(Of course that's overlooking the obvious risk of leaks, explosions and contamination.)

The only argument for nuclear is to maintain a supply of weopons grade nuclear material, any other arguments are a smokescreen for this.

Sustainably produced electricity charging batteries or 'creating' hydrogen for fuel cell cars has got to be the practical way forward.

(Biofuels are equally a non-starter due to the vast amounts of energy consumed producing fertilisers, managing the land, transporting and processing the crop)

The Honda Insight (AFAIK the first Honda hybrid car) looked nothing like it's other lines of cars and got "whupped" by the Prius. I think it is because of the design of the hybrid system rather then the look of the car.