Hydrogen?

[Airgetlam]

While I know Karen's had her unicorn signature for a while now, there does seems to be a somewhat reasonable car using a Hydrogen fuel cell coming from Mercedes.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20091209/CARREVIEWS/912099997

At least to my uneducated eyes it looks interesting. Not an Aptera, but seems more likely to get built.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi Bruce,

Unless we can get hydrogen for a lot less energy input than we do currently (like maybe from urine (http://www.physorg.com/news165836803.html)?), and production becomes as common as gas stations are now, and unless a new way to easily store hydrogen (like in chicken feathers (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623120833.htm)), and unless the cost of fuel cells drops a LOT (like to at least t a 1/50th of what they are now) and unless fuel cells can also last longer -- then I think battery electrics and serial hybrids are going to keep eating hydrogen's lunch.

I am not sure that I believe what they say -- that hydrogen (at 10,500psi?) is twice the energy density of the best batteries. If they count the volume and weight of the fuel cell, then I think you can fit 2X the batteries in? And compressing to that level is nontrivial, and it takes a lot of energy. And considering it takes 2.5-3Xmore energy to produce the hydrogen in the first place, I think hydrogen is not going to happen...

[Airgetlam]

Neil,

That's no fun. I was hoping to see a picture of one in Karen's barn, where I assume she keeps her unicorn :)

[scottsim]

Neil,

That's no fun. I was hoping to see a picture of one in Karen's barn, where I assume she keeps her unicorn :)

Not a hummer?

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi Bruce,

They make an incorrect claim -- that this car has 2X the range of any all electric car available today. They claim 280 miles on 8 pounds of hydrogen; similar to the FCX Clarity, and this is probably also optimistic. The Tesla claims 244 miles, and has gone over 300 miles. And, Tesla will be using new batteries (from Panasonic?) that they claim will improve power by ~30%, so that is over 315 miles.

I know where I can get electricity. Where are you gonna' get hydrogen?

[Airgetlam]

There's a Shell at North County Fair(e?) that claims to carry it. I don't normally stop there, so I haven't confirmed it.

Yea, I'd agree that there's not much chance of this being wildly successful in the long run, but I do approve of the attempt to continue the research into making a more intelligent vehicle without an ICE. And they do indicate that their second generation fuel cell should last much longer than the four years.

We'll have to see.

[Stunt Driver]

Until someone discowers a hydrogen mine or something - they should mention, that hydrogen is just an energy storage way, with low-low efficiency.
While oil and gasoline - is energy obtained from ground.

[PatQ562]

The hydrogen-powered fuel cell car is "interesting" in a technical sense, but hard to imagine ever being cheaper, or lighter, that simply sticking more batteries in a regular EV (the referenced M-Benz weighs 3500 lbs, more than a Tesla with similar range). The only advantage, a big one, is quick refueling, but it's meaningless until hydrogen stations are everywhere. Hydrogen is about the MOST difficult substance to handle as an energy storage medium, especially considering the losses of compressing/decompressing. The basic charm of an EV is that electricity can come from various non-global-warming sources. Can't our brilliant scientists come up with a "designer fuel" that stores energy efficiently and is easy to dispense?

[wpatters]

Hydrogen storage is also interesting.

In 1976, I took part in a "Monograph on alternate fuel resources". One of the presenters used soled tablets of sodium borohydride. What was great was that he filled his gas take with water and dropped in a tablet.

Bill

[jhm614]

Until someone discovers a hydrogen mine or something...

Hydrogen mine, uh oh... that sounds like Chiron Beta Prime -- where we will be working for our Robot Overlords -- oops, I meant Robot Protectors.

Merry Christmas, from the Andersons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DyxaCYlfg)

[KarenRei]

Hydrogen mine, uh oh... that sounds like Chiron Beta Prime -- where we will be working for our Robot Overlords -- oops, I meant Robot Protectors.

Merry Christmas, from the Andersons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DyxaCYlfg)

Ah, Coulton...

I made this half pony, half monkey monster to please you
But I get the feeling that you don't like it; what's with all the screaming?
You like monkeys; you like ponies.
Maybe you don't like monsters so much?
Maybe I used too many monkeys...
Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you?

[SEGsby]

For under 10 grand, a kid with the right chemicals and hardware can make you a unicorn by doing some gene hacking...

[10.5]

Hydrogen? Wood would be a better fuel, even.

[jhm614]

I made this half pony, half monkey monster to please you
But I get the feeling that you don't like it; what's with all the screaming?


Ha, ha... Skullcrusher... A nice A Cappella version (http://www.youtube.com/v/4ciutbvNNa0)

[lapwing]

Why Hydrogen as a fuel is unrealistic!

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/30/how-safe-is-hydrogen-filling-station-explodes-w-video/

Go EV's!