I know it sounds Stupid!, but it is easy to explain.
Old style "steam engines" used an external combustion heat source to produce steam for engines which were not much different in function than locomotive engines.
Modern automobiles use internal combustion engines to capture the mechanical energy of expanding gases, while throwing away the heat energy, (think of all the heat that is discarded by the radiator!)
What I propose is a means of combining these techniques to gain the mechanical energy as well as the heat energy of the engine. If combined with other efficiencies, such as regenerative braking systems, one could envision a very efficient automobile indeed.
Sure, it sounds stupid, but why not?
well, both steam and internal combustion engines lose a lot of energy as heat, vibration, and noise.
IIRC, the best ICE efficiency is about 10% throughput or conversion of chemical energy into torque.
steam engines have a crippling weight-to-horsepower ratio.
the problems with both systems are great,
solveng them in combination will be tricky, if even possible.
one notion: capture heat and vibration through thermo-electric and piezo-electric means and convert it to electricity for use in running electric wheel-hub motors?
Oh, I meant no way you had a serious conversation. I have a friend who has a masters in water.