British design engineer Glynne Bowsher and his team, British Steam Car Challenge, have almost finished building a super-fast steam-powered and Batmobile-like vehicle.

The engineers hope that the Inspiration vehicle will not only break the steam-car speed record, but also inspire thinking about alternative fuels for the future.

Although steam engines still need to burn hydrocarbon-based fuels that release carbon dioxide, external combustion engines can control the release and the production of CO2 more efficiently.

BSCC does not imagine that we will drive steam cars on our streets in the near future.

“Gas turbines have been used in the past,” explains Bowsher. “But the problem of turbines is that to be efficient, they have to run at a predetermined speed.

However, the engine design could be used in diesel-based commercial vehicles, like buses and lorries.

“Burning propane is environmentally more friendly than burning diesel. If the technology could be adapted, then it might just be a possibility – it is something we are investigating,” he says.

Via BBC News.