It's a romantic thought really -- a car
that'd be by your side forever.
A car for which MPG might stand for Miles per Gram. A car with a
Thorium engine. The coolest part is that recent science suggests this wondrous
technology is very real and scientists have already begun working on making it
a mass produced reality. Of course, at Braun's, we're interested mainly due to
the implications a technology like this has on future muscle car and hot rod restoration.
Laser Power Systems (LPS), based in Connecticut, USA, is working
on a clean method of automotive propulsion with the naturally occurring element
Thorium as the fuel source. Thorium, named after Thor, the Norse God of
thunder, is one of the most dense elements known to man. Due to its high
density, it is capable of producing massive amounts of heat. LPS has been
experimenting with traces of Thorium, using it to create a laser that heats
water, creating steam that powers a mini turbine.
Just one gram of the substance produces more energy than 7,396
gallons of gasoline -- and 8 grams is enough to drive for a full century. Two
of the world's leading renewable energy experts Nobel Physicist Carlo Rubbia and United Nations Chief weapons
inspector, Hans Blix, herald Thorium as the safest and most efficient source of
energy that has been discovered thus far.
The idea of using a Thorium engine is not novel, it has been
studied as a potential fuel for years and in 2008, Loren Kulesus designed the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel
Concept car pictured above. LPS is now developing the technology so it can be
mass produced.
The current model of a Thorium engine is only 500lbs, making it
very plausible for use in the current build of a car. You're probably wondering
by now if this engine could possibly be installed into a classic hot rod so you
could apply these benefits to your favorite car. Well, we don't know about that
yet but we here at Braun's will definitely be keeping tabs on this technology
as it progresses.
As we pointed out in our article about autonomous driving, the not-so-distant future holds major changes for the way
we view auto restoration. As we attempt to stay ahead of the curve, you can count
on Braun's Automotive to be prepared for the paradigm shift!
For what it's worth, it seems Hollywood has the correct formula. Thor + Cars = Winning
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