Nova

Car Of The Future

How will the car of the future be powered? Will it run on hydrogen, batteries, ethanol or some as-yet undiscovered technology? Find out as NOVA takes a look at the latest and greatest in the automotive industry. Tom and Ray Magliozzi of NPR's "Car Talk" fame take viewers on a roller-coaster ride into the world of cars - examining new technologies and ideas about America's most common form of transportation. With constantly increasing prices at the pump and a growing concern about the impact of emissions on global warming, there is a keen interest in alternative fuel sources to power our cars. The hydrogen fuel cell has long been the holy grail of zero emissions energy, and countries like Iceland are trying out the technology by transforming their public transportation. Closer to home, there are attempts to create fuels like "biodiesel" - made of used vegetable oil - or ethanol from corn crops. Will these be our future fuels or just a useful intermediate? Can an all-electric sports car being developed in California change the face of driving for good? With in-depth interviews and the unique humor of the much-loved Magliozzi brothers, "Car of the Future" takes a light-hearted but knowledgeable look at the serious issue of what's to come for our transportation.