Chapter 196: Transportation Vehicles

As the piston's motion sped up, the linkage-driven turntable's rotation accelerated as well, eventually maintaining an astonishing rotation speed.

It's really that exaggerated?

I've seen an experiment where a cup of hot water could run a simple Stirling engine for an hour, reaching a speed of 1,000 revolutions per minute.

Moreover, I didn't expect this thing to be so quiet.

…

On one hand, reduced friction lowers the noise; on the other, unlike internal combustion engines, hot-air engines don't need detonation for work or intermittent combustion, and being unaffected by air pressure lets them run in sealed environments, so their biggest use now is in submarines.

We don't need submarines now, but with this gadget, building a car shouldn't be a problem, right?

A true automobile is still far off, and this engine's volume-to-power ratio is too large, making it unsuitable for cars and ships, but at our current scale, building a drivable four-wheel vehicle is still not difficult.

Then let's try it out quickly? Do we still need manpower?" Wei Dalei said.

Actually, there's no need for all that trouble; don't we already have a ready-made vehicle?" Tang Jing smiled.

What do you mean?

Chen Mu turned his gaze to the large container truck parked by the wall: "That big guy?"

"Right." Tang Jing laughed: "Ausings' simulation toy cars are known for their detail; this vehicle, aside from the engine and battery, is just a shell, with even the tire and steering linkage fully realistic, though of course there's no electronic power assist."

Install the engine on that vehicle?

Great idea!" Wei Dalei laughed heartily.

Boys' love for cars is innate; just look at toddlers who can stare at an excavator all day without fuss.

Since we got that truck, even though it can't be driven, Old Wei, Zhu Hao, and the others still climb up now and then to get their fix; hearing it can actually be driven, they naturally give it two thumbs up.

But we still need to modify some parts.

Tang Jing led everyone to the truck's side and explained: "First, the engine doesn't use fuel, and the heating element must be replaced at least every ten or so hours, so its position may need to be moved to a more convenient spot; second, these tires may not suit the current ground."

Too rough?

Hmm, I suggest changing to tracks.

That shouldn't be hard." Chen Mu, who had experience building engines, expressed full confidence.

Isn't that just a tank? Can it drive onto grass?" Wei Dalei asked.

No, the vehicle's weight and size are insufficient; even somewhat flat dirt could barely pass, but with too much vegetation it's definitely impossible.

So its usefulness is still quite limited?" Chen Mu sighed, having thought that with this tracked truck the range would expand, but now it seems the road requirements remain high.

For now, the vehicle's function is merely to replace walking, saving effort and time; truly wanting widespread adoption is still far off.

But without a vehicle, we can't always walk to farther places, can we?

Popularizing transportation has two solutions." Tang Jing said: "First, build roads; the current roads certainly don't meet the requirements, so to popularize cars we must first pave new, smooth roads that connect everywhere—wouldn't that allow traffic?"

Good grief, that's harder than building a car, right?

It's hard now, but later with more people it's not impossible; besides, you're not expected to finish it in a day—our country's huge road network wasn't built in just a few decades, was it?

A few decades? Forget it; just hearing that feels hopeless.

Then only the second solution remains.

What?

Switch to a different means of transportation." Tang Jing said.

For example?

For example, Gundam." Tang Jing laughed.

This…

Actually, it's nothing; we discussed this before—realistically we can't build humanoid mechs because the material's load-bearing capacity was insufficient, but that problem no longer exists, and in complex terrain, a two-legged walking mode is far more convenient than any wheels or tracks.

Of course, the humanoid mech I mean isn't the kind in anime that can move in sync with a person—that's still far off—but if we just use a few specific motions to achieve walking, it's still foreseeable.

Chen Mu felt a bit dizzy and sighed: "This still sounds far off, and the operational demands are too high—never mind mechs, does anyone here know how to drive?"

You need to be 18 to get a license, what do you say?

I can." Wei Dalei chuckled: "I often drive my dad's car, but I only dare to drive it in his company's storage yard."

Wei Dalei's father works in construction and also runs a building materials factory; being busy with work, he doesn't discipline Old Wei much, basically just giving him pocket money, which has made Wei Dalei wild since childhood—he started sneaking drives at twelve or thirteen, got caught and beaten a few times by family, but never changed; Old Old Wei found him hopeless, so at sixteen he finally gave him proper driving lessons, of course still ordering him not to take it out, only allowing him to play around on the family grounds.

Although Chen Mu often hangs out with Wei Dalei, it's basically just at school, so he really doesn't know whether Wei Dalei can drive.

However, Dong Junwei then said: 'I can too… since getting a license no longer requires attending a driving school, my family had someone teach me last summer vacation, though I've never actually driven on a real road.'

He Ying followed: 'Me too.'

Tang Jing gave a light smile, self-evident.

Chen Mu froze, realizing that in the five-person decision team, it's just me who can't drive.

Alright, you're all veteran drivers!

Chen Mu, who had never touched a steering wheel, thought resentfully.

But driving a car and piloting a mech are still two different things, right?

Then let's just go all the way." Tang Jing said.

What?

Since ground transportation has too many limitations, flight ought to solve these hassles, right?" Tang Jing spread her hands.

Build an airplane?

Chen Mu clutched his chest, forcing himself to stay calm.

We just built an engine today, and tomorrow we want to build an airplane—this step is a bit of a stretch, huh?

An airplane is a bit off." Tang Jing laughed: "But a flying craft isn't necessarily an airplane.

You mean…

How about a hot air balloon, consider it?