Actually, it isn't as bad an idea as it first seems.

Steam is inherently inefficient technically, due to energy conversion concerns, but it has the advantages of being able to provide excellent torque charateristics under most running conditions, while requiring a relatively smoothe (less variable) energy input than purely electric vehicles. That is, you don't need a sudden surge of input energy to drive it hard for short distances, like electric vehicles require.

This can actually increase battery efficiency by allowing the battery drain to be relatively steady and controlled, rather than sudden and extreme (which causes significant battery damage).

Also, Electric/steam/heat engines can take advantage of "found" energy sources that specific fueled vehicles cannot. For instance, a solar recharging panel mounted on the upper surfaces of the vehicle would be a source of "found" energy. Heck, you can even use a solar collector to apply heat directly to the boiler. Also modern steam engines never need water refilling since the water can be passed through a condenser and reinjected into the boiler in liquid form (similar to refridgeration cycles). In fact efficiency can be greatly increased by utilizing other expansion propellents instead of water. The heat thrown away at the condenser could be used to heat the passenger compartment.

A microwave generator used for quick startups is also an excellent suggestion (steam normally requires an annoyingly long warm-up cycle).

I too like the idea. One needs to look at the energy conversion efficiency of electricity to microwaves to power vs. direct electromagnetic drives.

You are on to something. Even nuclear powered satellites and submarines use either or both steam generated by heat of fission, or the peltier junction effect of electricity from heat differentials.

Sorry to get off topic, but while I posting about power sources I always wondered why we haven't drilled into a Earth's core to harness the unlimited heat differential there using similar technologies.

I like this idea. This is the best fuel alternative idea I've heard so far. All of the stuff to make it run can't be much bigger than a gasoline engine, and you don't have to pay for fuel(as much). Furthermore, you could put a windmill on top of the vehicle to generate electricity. Thus, you pay even less for fuel. That's what I call a great idea!

To reply to Radar Freak's earlier comment, one reason could be that we don't have the technology to prevent the magma from coming to the surface.

Hi all,
My first impression is that the input power to drive the magnetron would far exceed the energy produced.
Radar Freak touched upon the nuclear applications, which is basically a glorified steam engine. Even though the ability to use radioactive material to heat water is a way around continual fuel addition, the drawbacks are widespread. Some of the same dangers with nuclear power would apply to microwave heating (after all radioactivity is just a combination of damaging high frequency RF and high energy particles.
I personally would like to see a revolutionary approach to energy conversion that does not rely on heating (an inherently inefficient transfer of energy).
Not that I have any answers, but why not start with exploiting the nature of entropy. The universe tends towards the dissipation of energy. Can we somehow capture this naturally by assisting this natural trend?
Naive and foolish as usual,
Ron

As I said, the main reason to use steam would be to have a better way of applying torque under load than by electric motor.

One other aspect in this is the increases in electric storage ability that is coming. The next step is eliminating batteries and developing high storage, low leak capacitors. This tech is coming out in the next 5 years and would reduce weight ratios and increase life of electric storage components.(not to mention that a capacitor contains fewer nasty chemicals.

ron, radioactivity is not composed of 'high frequency RF'. RF (radio frequency) lies in the long wavelength part of the spectrum. radioactivity is composed of 3 things: Alpha particles (ionized helium nuclei, irrelevant to this discussion because of their low penetrating power), beta radiation(electrons), and gamma rays: high energy photons (and thus correspondingly high frequency, from the equation E = h*f)

M.S.E Drive, use a capacitor and a bank of rechargeable batteries to fire up the microwave that heats an enclosed vessel, the energy from the microwave produces a high power jet of steam that spins an electric turbine engine similar to a turbo charger that can produce enough power to power the microwave and the 4 electric motors at the wheels of the vehicle, the technology all ready is in electric vehicles to control the speed when the accelerator is depressed. you would also need a switch to change from the battery power source to the turbine engines electrical out put ,hears the kicker you put a lining in the turbine that will detect the use of regular water and would shut the engine of rendering it inoperable ,that would force people to get the water fuel from vendors ie. gas stations ,the stations would only charge 50 cents per gallon making a few cents per dollar them selves and the rest of the money would go to the health care system and education or other programs in need revenues produced would make it possible for every American to get a college education for free health care for free, not to mention the m.s.e. Drive would have zero emissions only the steam from the engine would be discharged