Hybrids: Camry, Tahoe, Vue, .... Oh, my!

A turbine-generator combination would be a very good interim solution until fuel cells has matured.
IIRC it has already been used in a few prototypes, most notably one built by Ferdinand Porsche (sans turbine) in the early 1900s.
The efficiency of the whole torque to current to torque process isn't very good yet, but it can be very light and small (a turbine that runs at a constant RPM can have very good weight/size to power ratio) and there isn't any loss to gears and transmission if electric hub motors are used. That could make up for the efficiency issues.

 

Btw, I agree with Guden about the exploding gas tank thing: that only happens in movies, not in real life.

 

And 1978 pintos.

 

Yeah so I too have heard. But then again, US cars suck(*). Tractor-like heavy and clunky engineering with over-reliance on large-volume engines. Meh. Guess things are getting better tho...

*=Except 70s Chevy Corvette Stingray... Mmm, bootiful. In yellow, with white sides on the tires.

 

Diesels will be much more environmentally friendly once more federal governments start mandating low sulphur diesel. This is actually a bigger change then most people think - kind of like going from leaded to unleaded gasoline - because the sulpher is a lubricant and many current fuel injection systems wil rapidly wear using low sulphur diesel.

Most gas turbines actually burn diesel or kerosene (which is really just a lighter diesel).

I'm looking at getting the Hybrid Accord. http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/05accord_h.htm

 

You're describing cars from the 70s and earlier.

As for large engines... the only real big engine we have a viper, the 7 liter in the corvette really isn't huge.. you can get a 572CI from GM..
Americans like big engines for a reason.. the torque they give.
A viper may "only" make 505HP out of an 8.3 liter but it has a torque platau- stick it in any gear and you can go and you can make 600HP+ N/A that still has pretty good torque.. just gotta wait a bit for it.. oh and you'd have nice rumbling idle.. at alot higher rpm.
Can't do the same with say a hopped up 5 liter (to get that nice 100 HP/ liter number).
Ford's DOHC 4.6's that are rated at are nice, even better Sced and the new 3 valve 4.6 engines are even better for NA horsepower.
Dodge is apparently working a 6.4 "hemi" with 450-500HP.. good old pushrods but it won't be 8 liters...
DCX is also working on a 4 liter V6 hemi that makes 300HP.. and mated to a 6 speed auto.

 

Yeah, a lot of lobbying is out there to move towards high biodiesel concentrations. Most any modern diesel can handle it, though you would have to do some work on older drivetrains. The sulphur levels of diesel right now as is available in the US is also part of the reason why diesel in passenger automobiles is still not 50-state legal.

I think one of the biggest problems in bringing turbines to mainstream autos (assuming hybrid) is just maintenance. As much as you can scale a turbine way down in size and weight, it will still be a horror training the sea of auto technicians out there to work on turbines. And full-service dealerships don't really solve anything because people don't live in one place forever.