25. The Automotive
| Hardly thirty years after the invention of the steam engine functionning on Red Coal (62 RU - 1854), the automotive has already found its place in the urban UR society... The first prototypes of self-propelled vehicles are still present in some dark alleys, but in thirty years their owners have changed. Whereas a steam tricycle, thirty years ago, was a great gift of a high official or a rich free-contractor to his offspring, it now betrays membership to the most modest layers of the population.
Indeed we have entered the automotive era : official vehicle, or for carriage of goods or simply one hired at the Production Ministry for families wanting to spend one day out in the countryside. These various models have in common engine miniaturization and cockpit size increase.
However new models from the minds of the most extravagant engineers from the Production Ministry, are finally available to order. Choose right away options to make up the automotive you've always dreamed of, colors, latest polygraph, CEM receptor connecting you to the Global Polygraphic Network... (NB : only options requested by 90% of the purchasers will be included in the mass produced model).
The revolutionary features of the steam engines equipping "the new generation" of urban automotives can be summarized in two points : First of all the movement generating system, thanks to water overpressure, is closed, thus avoiding the external addition of water (a clever cooling system is included to make the engine run fast, no use wasting your time seeking this motor's patent, it's classified National Security). Secondly the carbonization of Red Coal is complete and does not dimunish the ambient air of its oxygen (Red Coal containing some) thus even in the relatively closed circulation lanes (mostly underground) in our large cities, no suffocation is to be feared (if your engine is maintained and periodically reconfigurated well by technicians from the Production Ministry, or by qualified independant-workers). |
