2009 L.A. AUTO SHOW--DOES CAPSTONE'S TURBINE HYBRID PREDICT A TURBINE CAR RESURGENCE?

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CNET is reporting that "Capstone, manufacturer of electricity-generating microturbines, and Electronic Arts Chief Creative Director Richard Hilleman have built a hybrid sports car for the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show."

The Capstone's "Reddy Kilowatt" turbine dream car is based on Factory Five's GTM supercar.

CNET reports taht "The CMT-380 uses an electric power train with a range-extending diesel-fueled microturbine. A lithium polymer battery pack gives the CMT-380 80 miles of pure electric range, and the microturbine generates power for an additional 500 miles."

Capstone usually produces stationary microturbines for power generation.

This demonstration project has already prompted spirited debate on the future of turbines as the generating component of future electric hybrids -- which seems to be the whole point of the CMT-380 exercise.

Ever since the days of Andy Granatelli's Studebaker STP Special turbine cars at Indianapolis, John Zink's Boeing-powered Trackburner and Chrysler's flirtations with turbine engines, many advanced engineering enthusiasts have dreamed of futuristic turbine-powered automobiles.

Cost and part-throttle efficiency have doomed highway-bound turbine projects. Cost, insufficient development, and rulesmakers stopped turbines at the track.

Some speculate that using microturbines to power electric generators could overcome the limitations of turbine power.

While this may someday prove true, Truth With Speedzzter expects electrification to be primarily based on torquey internal combustion reciprocating engines instead of turbines. ICE engines can be more effectively used to "backstop" and "supplement" electric power in peak demand situations. Turbine hybrid designs would require complex transmission systems to obtain the same performance. Thus, turbine hybrids would be completely reliant upon electricity to drive the wheels.

Moreover, pure turbine technology has not yet shown cost competitiveness with proven ICE engines. Most certainly as turbocharger technology continues to develop, adding a combuster and energy recovery systems will likely be achieved at a reasonable price point. In fact, integration of these components into a piggy-backed "turbogenerator" (also fed by ICE waste heat) might be a better solution to the electrification and power density problems.

Still the CMT-380 is an interesting application of turbine/electric power, even if it's not very "real world" at the moment.