[NicknamedBob]

"...capture heat and vibration through thermo-electric and piezo-electric means and convert it to electricity for use in running electric wheel-hub motors?"

Now we're communicating! Regenerative braking systems almost cry out for electric wheel hub motors, (and generators!)

I would add electrical energy capture from the shock absorbtion system.

The typical engine would capture explosion energy by pushing a magnetic field through a coil. This would come from a "cylinder" which was ideally designed for the dual purpose of developing expansion from combustion and steam vaporization.

Such a "car" might tend to look like a rolling lab bench, but I think the possible efficiencies would be demonstrable.

[King Prout]

first thing to do would be to replace the inert rubber motor mount vibration dampers with some electromotive polymer developed by AMRI

[King Prout]

I would think that a lot of the vibration loss could be harnessed by use of what are essentially inverted speakers

overall: the real problem with all of this (none of this is strictly speaking a "new" idea) has always been WEIGHT. Can energy be captured without adding so much mass that more energy is required to delta-v the mass of the equipment than can be captured by that equipment?

[Congressman Billybob]

The original Stanley Steamers held early speed records at or near 100 MPH. They were very dangerous in any collision, however. Imagine sitting inside a boiler whose tubes surround you on all sides. Now imagine running into anything solid while surrounded by those tubes.

Congressman Billybob

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