GM finally finds its true calling

Can you guess?

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/ge-developing-a.html

GE, GM. Whatever.

Oh crap, I guess when I saw "hybrid boat" my mind thought GM...it's too early in the morning to read anyways :P

On a serious note, this seems like a good place to use a hybrid drivetrain. Weight's not an issue and loads of torque could be helpful.

I see you can't edit titles here...doh

The diesels they already have are torque monsters. Like you would not believe. And fuel requirements for marine vessels isn't as strict as on-highway, so the industry hasn't moved toward environmental-friendly products. Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel is 15 ppm sulfur, and bunker fuel can be 50,000 ppm. Sulfur contains energy.

Doesn't surprise me. GE is a very diverse company and they have a lot of experience with diesel engines since they've been building diesel locomotives for a long time (I think the earliest GE diesels came out in the 30's).

On a side note, GM used to build diesel locomotives too, under the Electro-Motive Division. GM spun off EMD in 1997, but EMD is still around and building locos. Locomotive engines often end up in ships.

And yes, besides being a gearhead, metalhead, and out of my head, I'm also a railfan.

Railfans unite!

/me is a foamer too.

Alco > *

:p

Tho an old non-turbo EMD 567 whining at notch 6 under load sure sounds good...

Bah, if its not belching coal smoke, you can keep it. :evil:

Nothing at all wrong with the smell of coal smoke, falling cinders, and the subtle high pitched whine of the dynamo and hissing of escaping steam accompanied by the occasional "kathunk-thunk" of the air compressors. :twisted:

I don't understand the benefit of a hybrid driveline in this application. There isn't much energy to be recovered, unlike the braking and decelleration during driving.

wrong kinda hybrid

this is a hybrid driveline because it can run on battery power only, on power from the deisel, or both.

the advantage of having the deisel powering the generator, which powers the battery/motor is that engines are more efficient when they can run at a specific rpm and load, rather than running up and down a rev range with varying loads.