The engines for Prius' have had issues with various mechanisms. The whole combo of Hybrid is a short term Lolable fad that is currently in. Hydrogen shall be the way of the future. More sustainable.
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Disney to begin testing an electric bus this summer
- Thread starter wdwmagic
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The engines for Prius' have had issues with various mechanisms. The whole combo of Hybrid is a short term Lolable fad that is currently in. Hydrogen shall be the way of the future. More sustainable.
I agree. Hydrogen is the holy grail but it has 2 big problems that have yet to be overcome. Generation and storage. While you can find hydrogen everywhere it is almost always attached to something else. The easiest way to get it is to separate it from water, but it currently takes more energy to do this then you get out of it. Storage is another matter. We currently do not have a way of storing hydrogen that is practical for a car. They are getting better, but we are still a ways away from being practical.
The bottom line is the hybrids and battery powered cars might not be the end game, they are necessary steps to getting there.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Goofnut1980
Well-Known Member
Ok... Lets play apples to apples... Wouldn't over the long term just extending the Monorail system make more financial sense? I know it costs a lot of money to set up, but the wear and tear on the bus's and the roadway maintenance costs would have to outweigh the use of a monorail beam with a vehicle that produces little to no emissions. How long have we had the current monorail trains? They also hold many more people than a bus can at once.
I know it will never happen, but I would think it makes better sense. Not to mention less traffic.
I know it will never happen, but I would think it makes better sense. Not to mention less traffic.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Considering that there isn't any solid talk of replacing the existing 20+ year old trains, expansion is beyond a pipe dream
You raise a solid issue. With growing room occupancy and the new AoA resort, we've grown practically dependent on bus transportation as the only option to move the guests. We've gotten higher attendance and the bus fleet is growing as a result. Another result, increased At-Fault Bus accidents which Disney is freaking out about. (you have more buses in already crowded load zones with zero margins because of their design) There's a lot of bus traffic out there and its a problem.
Also, this company is primarily interested in quarterly profits and quarterly results. They could give a crap about long-term savings, they want short term results.
fillerup
Well-Known Member
Hydrogen storage is actually a huge problem. Since hydrogen is such a simple atom, it can seep through nearly any storage medium currently available, although there's lots of research going on to develop new and practical media.
In order to store quantities on board vehicles that allow a significant driving range, hydrogen has to be stored under extremely high pressure, which is not only dangerous but the pressurization is, in and of itself, very energy intensive.
In order to store quantities on board vehicles that allow a significant driving range, hydrogen has to be stored under extremely high pressure, which is not only dangerous but the pressurization is, in and of itself, very energy intensive.
Mammymouse
Well-Known Member
Thank you for explaining why hydrogen is explosive. I've always heard the explosion factor was why hydrogen wasn't practical and now you've made clear the reason why.
Darth Sidious
Authentically Disney Distinctly Chinese
I would have GM sponsor it and make it clean cars... Or demolish it... Or make it TRON. It should fit Tomorrowland and it should be a step in the direction of actually making Tomorrowland futuristic.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
I was going to say exactly what you said about monorail expansion, but decided against it for fear that people will start to think we can do this as an alternative. It is an intermediate step, not an alternative.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
No, it is practical. They have figured out how to make it safe. There have been no explosions since they have started using it several years ago. The oil companies have been spreading falsities about it for very obvious reasons.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
Another reason why the end goal must be fixed rail on separate grade.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
We can't. The immediate goal is no expansion. There are things that must be done before this can happen, such as modernizing and automating the current system, which they've said they are doing. So, after they've done that, expansion will be imminent.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
In Iceland, the public bus system runs on hydrogen fuel. The fuel cells are charged with geothermal energy, tapping into the natural heat of tubes of volcanic lava.
Of course there are no volcanos in Florida. We do have, however the Gulf Stream. FAU has experimental turbines running deep in the Atlantic testing this energy source. So far, the test has been successful. They have theorized that, if fully deployed, the Gulf Stream can provide enough energy to power the entire state.
They need to really do this!
Hydrogen is actually less volatile and much safer the gasoline. If a hydrogen tank is pierced the hydrogen will rush out like a rocket, but it will not ignite without an ignition source. Since hydrogen is lighter than air it will quickly dissipate and be harmless. Even if there an ignition source the flame will be intense but over quite quickly.
Gasoline and diesel are a much different matter. Their flammable fumes are heavier than air and will remain on the ground for a good wile and spread over a larger area giving them a better chance to find an ignition source such as a sparking battery. Gas and diesel also seep into the ground, storm drains, etc when spilled making extensive and expensive cleanup necessary.
This video is very old, but is shows the drastic difference between propane, gas and hydrogen at about 1:20.
This video has a great example of how long gas fumes last and far and quickly they spread.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
1 bus may not be anything to get excited about, but its a step in the right direction. Good move to at least consider this. Next step is to bring in the solar power. I brought this up in another thread but WDW has so many parking lots and rooftops that are prime locations for solar panels. The cost is coming down and the efficiency keeps increasing. Best part is they could partner with a company like the NFL teams did and not pay a dime for the installation.
Actually, we will probably see solar very soon at DLR since the CA market is much more solar friendly, but they seem to get everything first these days
.
Actually, we will probably see solar very soon at DLR since the CA market is much more solar friendly, but they seem to get everything first these days
.
1 bus may not be anything to get excited about, but its a step in the right direction. Good move to at least consider this. Next step is to bring in the solar power. I brought this up in another thread but WDW has so many parking lots and rooftops that are prime locations for solar panels. The cost is coming down and the efficiency keeps increasing. Best part is they could partner with a company like the NFL teams did and not pay a dime for the installation.
Actually, we will probably see solar very soon at DLR since the CA market is much more solar friendly, but they seem to get everything first these days
DLR is geographically better for solar than WDW making a less efficient system work a little better there than it would in WDW. The price of electricity is also about 30% higher in California pushing the cost/benefit analysis more toward the "switch to solar" option.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
It's just a test.
LucyK
Well-Known Member
Well, it has to start somewhere. I hope the test goes smoothly and maybe in a little while all buses will be converted to electrical vehicles.