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Honda is going to produce and sell the worlds first realistic hydrogen car this summer. To start with it will only be leased out to 1000 people in the LA area, where there already are numerous hydrogen stations to be found. The production costs of each vehicle are incredible $300.000, so its propably gonna take some time before they can compete with the regulars. I figure no one will pay ten times more for a car that would normally go for around $30.000 if it had a gasoline engine.
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To start with it will only be leased out to 1000 people in the LA area, where there already are numerous hydrogen stations to be found.
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There are only about 20 stations in the entire state and probably less than 100 in the world. Even if it was cost effective you would need many billions of dollars and decades before there is an infrastructure... this is more PR games IMO.
I think the more manufacturers jump on, will help give the alternative fuel bandwagon a giant leap. Sooner the better, cuz im sure people are now crying for more alternatives. When gas jumps at $5 a gallon, it will open up the floodgates...
Personally i think theres more to it than just pushing up the prices of gas. I think it is really running low and these greedy morons are milking the last remaining barrels to be had.
There are only about 20 stations in the entire state and probably less than 100 in the world. Even if it was cost effective you would need many billions of dollars and decades before there is an infrastructure... this is more PR games IMO.
Part PR, part test-market. If a major shift in automotive propulsion is going to take place, chances are that one or more manufacturers are going to have to take a loss on the front end in the hopes that it will pay off later. Remember, the first plasma-screen TV cost over $50,000....
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I think the more manufacturers jump on, will help give the alternative fuel bandwagon a giant leap. Sooner the better, cuz im sure people are now crying for more alternatives. When gas jumps at $5 a gallon, it will open up the floodgates...
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You do understand that all the hydrogen produced comes from processing natural gas. The resulting cost is higher than gasoline and the emissions from the process are not especially good. Hydrogen electrolysis of water takes more energy to produce than it carries.
If you see any fuel cell cars they will be powered by hydrocarbons. There is simply no transportation fuel that comes close in energy density and cost.
The best bet for a real alternative is a breakthrough in battery technology (or maybe kinetic storage) making electric cars practical.
They're touting "home refueling" stations, converting natural gas to hydrogen. But the gas tank in the car in pressurized at 5,000psi. It's gonna take one honking huge compressor, using an awful lot of electricity, to fill that. Not including the energy used to "crack" natural gas.
The price of natural gas has gone up something like double in the last 10 or so years (plus it's highly variable, as it's not really possible to store long-term, as oil is). Shuffling natural gas off to another use, other than heating, using MORE energy to convert it to hydrogen with a loss of efficiency - doesn't make a lot of sense.
If you see any fuel cell cars they will be powered by hydrocarbons. There is simply no transportation fuel that comes close in energy density and cost.
The best bet for a real alternative is a breakthrough in battery technology (or maybe kinetic storage) making electric cars practical.
I actually have a theorum and designs for a hydrogen (or any other diatomic element, like oxygen) powered car that would be extremely energy dense. It involves the splitting of the diatomic element and the energy released from the reaction.
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