Re: Scam
Yet another magic car scam being foistered on the taxpayer and public
What no-one seems to have pointed out, neither to this article nor to the previous one (nor indeed to the politicians involved in helping) is that this company has been pushing this car for quite some time. As for being "Wales-based", they are probably only here because they managed to get some kind of grant to move from Ludlow, where they were just as enthusiastic about the project seven years ago, then again six years ago, then announcing their first order, which was probably cancelled because soon afterwards they announced a trial.
The move to Wales happened almost a year ago, oiled with a £3.5m grant.
A mate of mine works for a company that designs and builds the sort of in-wheel motors this car is said to use. The motors bring almost as many problems (unsprung mass) as they solve (fewer transmission components) and he wasn't actually aware of Riversimple when I asked him about the project back in February.
Don't get me wrong; I think fuel-cells are a great idea, and the thing about marrying them to supercapacitors seems to solve the fixed-power-output problem, but other - more established manufacturers are already looking at the technology, with much pore practical and pretty designs. James May drove one, as did Vicki Butlet-Henderson.
If you want something really weird from Wales, how about the Mouse Car which once achieved over 500mpg from a Diesel engine. It's on show at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
M.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
