Cadillac World Thorium Fuel Concept Car

[Immortality]

Here's another one from the world of unlimited conceptual design: the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel concept. Otherwise known as the Cadillac WTF. Created by Loren Kulesus, everything about the WTF has been created to last 100 years without maintenance. That's the reason for the element number ninety, thorium: to act as a nuclear fuel powering batteries that would power the car.



Elsewhere, every major system is redundant in case of a failure. And the wheels don't have individual tires - in fact, what's located at each corner is one combined unit made up of six individual wheels. That gives you 24 wheels in total, and each wheel has its own induction motor. Said Kulesus, "The vehicle would require the tires to be adjusted every five years, but no material would need to be added or subtracted." Here's to the future. While you wait for it, have a look at the Cadillac WTC in the gallery of high-res photos below.










( autoblog )

[robodude]

Thorium is a radioactive element that, if processed properly, might be used as nuclear fuel, so this is a nuclear-powered car if you will. The idea from designer Loren Kulesus is that this car could be used for 100 years without (engine) maintenance and refueling.

[Wingit]

At least, it's the theory. I thought that nuclear-powered submarines or aircraft carriers did require quite a lot of maintenance, but I'm not a nuke mechanic.

[ema]

I never thought that nuclear-powered stuff could last that long without maintenance because even nuclear power plants do need to be maintained. Well, if that will become a reality, that would reallybe expensive because although thorium is more abundant than uranium, it is hardly been utilized and is hardly been derive from relatively few sources. Plus, it ignites easily in the air.