Coconuts might be an avenue to hydrogen storage. (buying, oil, cost)

[Mack Knife]

The humble coconut might hold the key to making hydrogen-powered cars viable – Quartz

Interesting. With a global industry already invested in combustion engines, no nearly every major manufacturer is moving in the direction of producing hydrogen fueled vehicles.

If Toyota reaches their goal, they'll easily duplicate the success of the Priius and leap from hybrids to hydrogen and bypass pure electric altogether.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Mack Knife

The humble coconut might hold the key to making hydrogen-powered cars viable – Quartz

Interesting. Maybe one day we'll be loading up the tank on the family buggy with macaroons.

Here's my issue with the research into hydrogen adsorbants and absorbants... I don't see how they can possibly achieve the energy density of compressed hydrogen gas, which is what all current hydrogen powered cars are using. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it does not seem possible, given the laws of physics.

Where I can see them being useful is in fixed facilities, where the added bulk of the storage media is not such an issue, and cheaper cost and lower tech could be an advantage.

Interesting. With a global industry already invested in combustion engines, no nearly every major manufacturer is moving in the direction of producing hydrogen fueled vehicles.

If Toyota reaches their goal, they'll easily duplicate the success of the Priius and leap from hybrids to hydrogen and bypass pure electric altogether.

It's a little late for that, considering their large investment in Tesla, the fact that they've been selling pure electrics for several years, and the fact that they are still buying Tesla batteries.* And of course, the motor and drivetrain are the same in either case. The difference is in the choice of energy storage.

*Yeah, they're mutually allowing the contract to lapse at end of year, and Toyota has just halted production on their battery powered EV, but several analysts have commented that Toyota HAS to push hydrogen fueled cars hard right now because of a mandate by the Japanese government. And THAT is really what is behind the current flurry of interest in hydrogen fuel by different manufacturers.

The biggest issue remaining is that currently almost all the current hydrogen supply is produced in oil refineries. And then there's Elon Musk's famous pronouncement: "Hydrogen energy density is crap."

[TreeBeard]

There have been a number of stories recently on hydrogen and fusion technologies becoming feasible sources of energy. See also, Zero-emission fusion reactor promises 'cheaper than coal' energy | Daily Mail Online . Sometimes these stories burst on the scene, get a lot of publicity, then just seem to vanish. Hopefully we will be hearing more of these new technologies and seeing these new products in the marketplace soon.

[Mack Knife]

The aspect of hydrogen storage has one significant benefit over storage of electricity when it comes to vehicles, work toward a standard storage method. This is where EVs fail, no matter what, you can't simply recharge quickly. The idea that you'll sit around for even 30 minutes makes recharging EVs impractical for a highly mobile country like the US. The nice rest stops touted by Tesla are window dressing, as if everyone is going to sit around for 30 minutes or more waiting for their turn to recharge. People don't and won't do that. If you live on an island it might work but then so do a lot of things that don't really work elsewhere.

Not everyone drives the average commute, few people really do.

Look how long Tesla has been going at it. In the market of cars, far too long as the so called affordable EV is several years away at the earliest. At the rate of automobile development, that is an eternity. When you look at where the biggest efforts are in the market of autos, it isn't electric cars, it is everything else.

The pooch will follow.

[OpenD]

[quote=Mack Knife;36893463]The aspect of hydrogen storage has one significant benefit over storage of electricity when it comes to vehicles, work toward a standard storage method. This is where EVs fail, no matter what, you can't simply recharge quickly. The idea that you'll sit around for even 30 minutes makes recharging EVs impractical for a highly mobile country like the US. The nice rest stops touted by Tesla are window dressing, as if everyone is going to sit around for 30 minutes or more waiting for their turn to recharge.[quote]

I'm quite clear you don't have a clue what you're talking about, and you've created this happy-for-you fiction that you're ignoring whatever I post here, even though it's become quite obvious that's not true. So, OK, I'll just talk to everyone else who reads this thread and you can pretend to ignore me.

Most Tesla owners "fill up the tank" overnight at home, and may not need to visit a Tesla Supercharger for months at a time. On a cross country trip, stopping every three hours for a 20 minute charge while they take a rest stop is genuinely not a big deal. For many of us, that's pretty much SOP for a conventional

People don't and won't do that. If you live on an island it might work but then so do a lot of things that don't really work elsewhere.

Meanwhile in reality over 87,000 EVs have been sold in the US this year, just in the first three quarters. And a total of 97,507 were sold last last year. (1)

How's that working out for you, sticking your fingers in your ears and going "Lalalala I can't hear you!" ?

Not everyone drives the average commute, few people really do.

Of all the goofy misinformation you post repeatedly, this may just be the silliest.

From DOT figures, 85% of the population has a daily commute less than 25 miles one way, or 50 miles round trip, well within the range of every EV currently on the market.

American Commute Distance (2)
(One Way)..... Percent
1-5 Miles..... 29 %
6-10 Miles..... 22 %
11-15 Miles..... 17 %
16-20 Miles..... 10 %
21-25 Miles..... 7 %
26-30 Miles..... 5 %
31-35 Miles..... 3 %
35 + Miles..... 8 %

Look how long Tesla has been going at it. In the market of cars, far too long as the so called affordable EV is several years away at the earliest. At the rate of automobile development, that is an eternity.

Oh Puhleeeze... Tesla has been in business only a couple of years, and in that time they have zoomed past all the competition from much bigger companies, which have all been at it far longer. Tesla's stellar achievements in such a short time are phenomenal. Not only have they developed technical innovations that have other companies at their door step, but they have invigorated the entire segment.

Possibly most important, they have made the electric car exciting to the general public. No longer the exclusive domain of techno-geeks, EVs are hot items now among the influencers and early adopters, and thrust them into the public spotlight.

When you look at where the biggest efforts are in the market of autos, it isn't electric cars, it is everything else.

Keep looking in the direction you're looking, Mack. Maybe report in every once in a while. Could be interesting. Meanwhile the future is coming down the street in this big parade behind you and most of us here have our eyes on it.


1) Monthly Plug-In Sales Scorecard
2) Commute Statistics | Statistic Brain