Leno had it built. It has a Lycoming LTS101 turbine producing over 600hp, mostly commonly used in helicopters. Like all turbines it's only efficient if it's running at near maximum power. Which is the same reason why turbine powered cars have been toyed with but never really adopted.
Not to say it isn't neat, but certainly not "eco" in any way.
It doesn't make sense if you swapped the engine and fuel for batteries and get similar range while increasing the maint requirements, and complexity. Electric motors are very very low maint.
It's been toyed with, like the Volvo ECC. But I don't think anything has come to fruition.
Turbines are great for a peaking load station for the power grid, but they're often combined power plants with the exhaust heat from the turbine being used to increase efficiency by doing something, like heating water. Even when operated at the ideal speed gas turbines still lag against ICE engines as far as efficiency, but a heat recovery system makes a difference.
yeah the big benefit is that you can fit a lot of power output capacity in rather small space and weight, not efficiency.
and sure one could say that it doesn't make sense then for an airplane but it makes up for the efficiency since the plane or chopper gets lighter as the fuel is used anyway, a heavier engine and transmissions etc don't.
a380 cruising horsepower is same output as emma maersk. while the engine of emma maersk is something like 4-6 a380's in weight without the shafts etc
Same, from the thumbnails (and my old eyes) the logo looks like the Cadillac crest, and the lines look very similar to the CXT? Coupe. Gorgeous car but yeah what another commenter said. Turbines are terrible powerplants for cars. They excel at running at constant rpms for long durations.
Turbine engines are terrible engines for directly driving an automobile's wheels.
There's a guy on IG that's using a small aircraft auxiliary turbine to pressure boost a VR6 he's mounted in a in an Audi A4. The turbine fills the back seat and trunk. Completely bonkers.
Turbine engines are terrible engines for directly driving an automobile's wheels.
If you use a second shaft as a power-takeoff, they're actually not bad at all. You can lock the output shaft/turbine when the vehicle is stopped, and it behaves a lot like a torque converter with massive torque right off idle. GM used that exact method in the turbine semis, so I suspect it was the same for the Eco Jet. They used a simple gear reduction to get the engine speed down to normal engine speeds, and attached it to a normal old 6-speed.
I'm definitely not saying it's a perfect solution, I recognize there are a million other considerations for turbines in road vehicles. And that there's plenty of reasons why turbines never became commonplace for cars/trucks.
I didn't ever like Jay the comedian too much at all, but I've learned to respect Jay the car guy a lot for his flexibility being both purist and half crazy modifier.
Horror-Raisin-877@reddit
Hmm, what makes it “eco”?
X10SIVMKII@reddit (OP)
The eco-friendly interior elements and the engine’s ability to run on multiple fuels, so they say
HenkPoley@reddit
Another turbine car, the Chrysler Turbine Car, was test-driven by president Adolfo López Mateos around January 1964, it ran on 80-proof tequila.
Horror-Raisin-877@reddit
He’s the one that came after Eisenhower and before Nixon right?
HenkPoley@reddit
Some would call him the southern north American president.
Plump_Apparatus@reddit
In other words, nothing.
Leno had it built. It has a Lycoming LTS101 turbine producing over 600hp, mostly commonly used in helicopters. Like all turbines it's only efficient if it's running at near maximum power. Which is the same reason why turbine powered cars have been toyed with but never really adopted.
Not to say it isn't neat, but certainly not "eco" in any way.
Smartassmatt@reddit
What I don’t understand is why these aren’t being used in “extended range EV” for the power generation.
stuffeh@reddit
It doesn't make sense if you swapped the engine and fuel for batteries and get similar range while increasing the maint requirements, and complexity. Electric motors are very very low maint.
jango-lionheart@reddit
Maybe a small turbine would be a good way to power a range extender in an EV
Plump_Apparatus@reddit
It's been toyed with, like the Volvo ECC. But I don't think anything has come to fruition.
Turbines are great for a peaking load station for the power grid, but they're often combined power plants with the exhaust heat from the turbine being used to increase efficiency by doing something, like heating water. Even when operated at the ideal speed gas turbines still lag against ICE engines as far as efficiency, but a heat recovery system makes a difference.
K4NNW@reddit
So, a gas turbine providing heat for a steam turbine.
Plump_Apparatus@reddit
Yes, that is a typical example in a combined-cycled plant.
Boilermakingdude@reddit
Also referred to as a co-gen
K4NNW@reddit
So that's the term for it. Neat!
lasskinn@reddit
yeah the big benefit is that you can fit a lot of power output capacity in rather small space and weight, not efficiency.
and sure one could say that it doesn't make sense then for an airplane but it makes up for the efficiency since the plane or chopper gets lighter as the fuel is used anyway, a heavier engine and transmissions etc don't.
a380 cruising horsepower is same output as emma maersk. while the engine of emma maersk is something like 4-6 a380's in weight without the shafts etc
jango-lionheart@reddit
Interesting, thanks.
LucidComfusion@reddit
Almost happened with the Jaguar C-X75
jango-lionheart@reddit
Wow! Thanks
elkab0ng@reddit
What I’m hearing is “we need to drive fast ALL the time”, right?
Plump_Apparatus@reddit
With 600hp or so, I'd probably say "really fuckin' fast". Like 160mph+.
OG_Fe_Jefe@reddit
Don't threaten me with a good time...
.160mph+...
there's got to be some super ovals that would rent track time to see how long rolling wfo would last on a tank of fuel.
thereareno_usernames@reddit
I'm in!
ripyurballsoff@reddit
Turbines can run on anything can burn.
WaytoomanyUIDs@reddit
Theoretically. As the US Army discovered with the M1 Abrams is usually very badly and causes massive maintenance problems.
auxaperture@reddit
Excellent Car Okay
VisibleClub643@reddit
Eco because it runs on biodiesel fuel. Thaaat’s about it.
mechanicalproblems9@reddit
Being able to run on just about any flammable liquid
Blue2501@reddit
The engine noise echoes far and wide
Artemus_Hackwell@reddit
Marketing
Lukaspc99@reddit
I thought it was a Cadillac Cien at first
Dr_Adequate@reddit
Same, from the thumbnails (and my old eyes) the logo looks like the Cadillac crest, and the lines look very similar to the CXT? Coupe. Gorgeous car but yeah what another commenter said. Turbines are terrible powerplants for cars. They excel at running at constant rpms for long durations.
Viharabiliben@reddit
A turbine might make a good generator to feed some powerful electric motors.
Viharabiliben@reddit
GM was involved with the project, so probably why it has Cadillac features.
theonetrueelhigh@reddit
The "Eco" is wildly inappropriate.
TheModeratorWrangler@reddit
Jay Leno and his jeans collection. IFKYK
Leromer@reddit
Finely crafted turbocombobulator 👌
Level_Cuda3836@reddit
I thought Jay Leno donated his car collection to a museum recently
Willing_Big194@reddit
???
Level_Cuda3836@reddit
Yes he has opened a museum for his collection in part due to his ongoing medical issues
Willing_Big194@reddit
Source? And what medical issues (expect getting older)?
Level_Cuda3836@reddit
Partly him getting older and his wife’s battle with dementia you can Google these things for a source
Willing_Big194@reddit
Yes I know his wife has dementia. There is 0 credible source of him opening a museum and that he himself has health issues...
Level_Cuda3836@reddit
Lmfaoooo but hurt 😢 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Willing_Big194@reddit
???
Im literally just asking where you got this info from?
Level_Cuda3836@reddit
I Goggled it !?!
Willing_Big194@reddit
Then you can link it no?
BlackSwanMarmot@reddit
Turbine engines are terrible engines for directly driving an automobile's wheels.
There's a guy on IG that's using a small aircraft auxiliary turbine to pressure boost a VR6 he's mounted in a in an Audi A4. The turbine fills the back seat and trunk. Completely bonkers.
CallOfCorgithulhu@reddit
If you use a second shaft as a power-takeoff, they're actually not bad at all. You can lock the output shaft/turbine when the vehicle is stopped, and it behaves a lot like a torque converter with massive torque right off idle. GM used that exact method in the turbine semis, so I suspect it was the same for the Eco Jet. They used a simple gear reduction to get the engine speed down to normal engine speeds, and attached it to a normal old 6-speed.
I'm definitely not saying it's a perfect solution, I recognize there are a million other considerations for turbines in road vehicles. And that there's plenty of reasons why turbines never became commonplace for cars/trucks.
flacoman954@reddit
There was a hillclimb car Manic Beattie methinks before that .
aadoqee@reddit
Manic Beattie is a legend
MdMooseMD@reddit
I just stumbled upon that guy a few days ago. That’s an insane build.
rabbit__eater@reddit
Jesus.
Interesting_Dingo_88@reddit
He's got to be one of like, three people in the world to own more than one turbine powered car.
Blackberry-Seed@reddit
Don’t forget the motorcycle
Different-Fan-6991@reddit
The one that he accidentally melted a Lamborghini with
Interesting_Dingo_88@reddit
Thank you, I did forget it!
istealpixels@reddit
But tell me, and be honest.
Did you at one point in the past or present, forget about Dre?
Interesting_Dingo_88@reddit
NEVER! 😂
highergravityday@reddit
Huh, I think the Vehicons from Transformers Prime must be based on this thing.
ScuzzyAyanami@reddit
Yes, but how can it be compared to a Duesenberg? /s
amindspin74@reddit
I love more then anything that jay shares his car collection, has other car people over and most importantly drives them .. he is our car God .. lol
Willing_Big194@reddit
Such an amazing and humble guy. The no1 automotive preserver in my mind
MurphysRazor@reddit
I didn't ever like Jay the comedian too much at all, but I've learned to respect Jay the car guy a lot for his flexibility being both purist and half crazy modifier.
ninjadragon1119@reddit
Jey Leno is what happens when a car nerd has money
neophlegm@reddit
I think the end boss of that combination is probably the Sultan of Brunei
Willing_Big194@reddit
Nah he has no taste whatsoever
Willing_Big194@reddit
Jay Leno is THE carguy
SoonToBeBanned24@reddit
It's the freaking BATMOBILE!
Cake-Over@reddit
His tags are expired
Reddit_User6286@reddit
The car shares his smile.
GoldenKingFox17@reddit
This looks like the vehicle mode of the Vehicons from the Transformers Prime tv show 💀
bojangler69420@reddit
It’s weird how this looks kinda similar to the Cadillac “Cien” Concept
justahdewd@reddit
I'm a cart buff, if I had his money, I'd be just like him and have lots of cars.
Xtreemjedi@reddit
Those wheels are absolute art!
Delanynder11@reddit
Econet: https://youtu.be/sZGPa7waUiQ
isysopi201@reddit
What is so ECO about this car???