I don't understand why the car companies are so obessed with sticking with the classic petrol powered, cylinder & piston, internal combustion engine. Outside of that, they only seem to be interested in developing electric motors powered by chemical reactions from batteries, or hydrogen & oxygen.
The pure hydrogen engine is a long ways off. We are going to be stuck with fossil fuel motors for a long time yet. Toyota and Honda are leading the way with hybrid motors that combine petrol ICE and battery powered electric motors.
I can't help but notice that hybrid motor is pefect for a Sterling Engine. They are far more effecient than ICE's.
Another common type of motor is the gas-turbine engine. This is the same engine used on commercial jets, large ships, and military tanks. They are very effecient, but also very expensive to make. They don't work well for cars in stop and go traffic. That is why they don't put them in cars.
However, there is something new on the horizon that looks very promising. It is The Quasiturbine Engine. This is awesome. Invented by a nuclear physicist in Canada, and patented in 1996. It promises to be the perfect hybrid between a pure gas-turbine engine and a rotary motor (aka. Wankel engine). It is very interesting. Please take a look at the How Stuff Works demo of it.
The beauty of it is that version of it can be used to run a motor off of compressed air, steam, diesel, bio-fuels, or almost anything. It is very effecient, small, and has no vibration.
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