If a man has a talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he has a talent and learns somehow to use the whole of it, he has gloriously succeeded, and won a satisfaction and a triumph few men ever know.” These words were penned by Thomas Wolfe, in his novel, You Can’t Go Home Again.
Since the advent of mass automobile manufacturers through today, there have been many talented minds that designed and built the cars (and trucks) driven for about 150 years. Each year, SEMA showcases the artistic entrepreneurs whose specialty ideas modify or create from scratch, unique works of automotive art.
If my dad were here, he would probably go for the cars with 30’s or 40’s pedigrees. Chevy, Ford, Hudson, Packard, Plymouth – you get the idea,
For me, 3 original cars from the mid-fifties, Corvettes, Cadillac Eldorado and Continental Mark series lend their designs to wonderful present-day changes.
So, what does the future hold? If politicians, the “Big 3”, Tesla, Rivian and others prevail, our near future is electricity. However, this year, SEMA gave us a glimpse of a fascinating alternative – “hydrogen-electric” from a startup, Hyperion
The prototype uses hydrogen to generate electricity that powers the car. The reaction of hydrogen and oxygen produces electrons that drive an electric motor with the byproduct being water. It is claimed that the car can go 900 miles on a single charge of hydrogen. In the beginning, the cost will be significant. However, expect “talented” minds to overcome early drawbacks.
David Geeting; photo-journalist: 2:00pm, Nov. 30, 2022