I don't really see the need for it but was wondering if it's possible. I know some airplanes can refuel while in the air. It'd just be cool. What kind of risks are there just refueling with the engine on? What risks are present in refueling from a approved gasoline container in to the tank from another car? (beside the obvious Road distraction)
1) It is illegal in most places to refuel with the engine on. 2) One way cars burst into flame while refueling is static electricity Auto safety 101: dangers of pumping gas - Hartford Special Interests | Examiner.com 3) Sadly, auto filler tubes were never designed for indrive refueling, retrofitting will add weight. 4) Side by side refueling will block a lot of traffic, front to back refueling will get the cars too close together to be safe. Planes use above and below fueling, that is not the way we drive cars. 5) I can't visualize how Self Service is going to work. I am sketchy how you will pay, so far as I know inflight refueling is always the same organization, no payment.
The crews doing in-flight refueling likely received more training than the typical driver on the road also.
Possible does not mean practical. Now if you are interested in reducing the number of refuelings, I would go with a securely mounted, crash worthy tank (see race car bladders) and plumbing with a pump that discharges into the gas tank filler tube. I could easily see doubling the fuel capacity. If you're clever and can sacrifice more volume, perhaps removing the rear seats, triple. So are you thinking about this? Perhaps you want to enter some of the ever popular and well paying, marathon driving contests? Bob Wilson
Fuel Cells at SummitRacing.com: Jaz, RCI, RJS, Summit Racing, Howe Racing, Aeromotive, Pit Pal, Pit Posse Motorsports & more
I don't think there is an engineering reason it cannot done, other than it is not needed and not practical. Keep in mind gasoline is much more flammable than jet fuel, containing butane for example. So jet fuel is much easier to handle safely.
Well, there are obvious military and strategic reasons why airplanes are sometimes refueled in the air. But even then, from an ease and safety standpoint I think most people would agree refueling while on the ground and stationary is preferable and safer. Since automobiles are ground based machines (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Excluded) why would anyone want to refuel while moving? Sure you could probably "make" it possible, but it would always be dangerous, and always be unnecessary.
Most people, especially in the US, have trouble enough DRIVING while they're driving. Now you want to add loading fuel to the list of taskers?? Naah. I'll pass, thank you very much. Possible: Yes. Practical: Not now, probably not ever. Reason: ???? You tell me. What do you gain? In the military, they use underway replenishment and in flight re-fueling tactically as either a force multiplier, or to increase range or endurance. Strategically it's used on grey hulls much in the same way allowing us to project power for longer periods of time.There is no cost benefit, and anybody who has ever done a HIFR or an UNREP will tell you quickly that getting fuel on the beach is usually better and ALWAYS safer. YMMV!
I knew I'd seen this on TV at some point, so I had a bit of a search. It was on the British programme Fifth Gear a few years ago. They refuelled a Nissan GTR at 85mph. Before they started refuelling, they ran a wire from the refuelling truck to the car to earth it and prevent static buildup. Here's the video. It's good. But I don't think it'll catch on as common practice.
Where in the US is 142 or 100mph a speed limit? I think wireless charging is a gimmick, but it can refuel a car in motion far more safely than using a second vehicle to refuel a gasoline, diesel, CNG, or hydrogen one. It actually has a chance of happening sometime in the future beyond a stunt.
What are the advantages of doing a long road trip and refueling without stopping? Most of you could drive hours and hours without snacks, drinks, and not the least go without peeing?
