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Honda makes first hydrogen cars
- Thread starter edesignuk
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Ah, what GM did for their electric car prototype in the 80's, I believe.
Then when the future CA emission rules were relaxed, and they didn't need them anymore, they recalled every one (ignoring pleas to purchase) and shredded them all.
I applaud environmental moves. However, even if we all drive clean cars, and by some miracle the manufacture and recycling becomes clean as well, we still have the huge environmental impact caused by roads. Not to mention the amount of human and animal death that comes with them. The world would still be a better and safer place with fewer cars full stop. The clean car often strikes me as an easing of guilt not a solution to global warming and environmental damage.
Of all the vehicles, the oil companies and the petrol stations will resist electric cars.
Since there is no need to refuel those at current stations and can be done at home or work, which is why you are likely to see petrol companies put their stamp of approval on anything that requires a tank to fill up.
Last time I looked, they were selling a hydrogen generating station for use in gas stations and for business who want to store cheap off peak electricity as hydrogen.
Since there is no need to refuel those at current stations and can be done at home or work, which is why you are likely to see petrol companies put their stamp of approval on anything that requires a tank to fill up.
Last time I looked, they were selling a hydrogen generating station for use in gas stations and for business who want to store cheap off peak electricity as hydrogen.
GM technically was the first to get a hydrogen vehicle out in the public with the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell. Though there are only 100 of them out there compared to Honda's planned 200. It also uses GM's last gen hydrogen system( Gen IV). GM has a Gen V system, but wasn't ready in time for the Equinox Fuel Cell.
![EquinoxFC_rightfront.jpg]()
Auntie said:
Technically it's not, the BMW Hydrogen 7 pre-dated it by almost 2 years. Though I suppose Honda's take on it is that by producing 200 cars, theirs is technically considered a production model, homologation applying and all that.
Though let's be honest, their claims of commercial production given the facts... extremely limited volume and extremely limited availability are tenuous at best.
A rather surprising move by Honda though, given until only a few years ago, they wouldn't even consider building a diesel engine... though obviously the decision to build one was purely an economic one, given their plummeting sales in Europe.
Honestly... I don't think any single fuel engine is the best solution, hybrid cars are the future.
iJohnHenry said:
This is true, GM actually won the inaugural World Solar Challenge in 1987 with they super-furturistic Sunraycer, a car which Honda shamelessly copied for their first solar car, the Dream (or what looked like the Sunraycer with a Honda badge stuck on the front).
The place to start with hydrogen fuel cells is with fleet use, like UPS, Post Office, taxis, etc. They could have a commercial-sized hydrogen fueling site on their sites, have enough vehicles to make a difference and those vehicles stay close to home. This will help to get this all started in a meaningful way.
I could see oil companies selling hydrogen, but many people do not know that fuel cells can be made to run on natural gas, gasoline, diesel, alcohol, etc as well as hydrogen. Hydrogen is the holy grail, but don't forget it takes a lot of energy to produce hydrogen. Some people that know this stuff say we will have to build nuke plants to produce the power to make hydrogen.
Same with electric cars; if everyone went electric, we would have to build lots more power plants to handle the load.
while good in 'concept' its horrible in practice because of the amount of energy required to make hydrogen. its a step in a different direction, which is good, but its a step in the wrong one.
I heard an interview on the radio with a Honda PR type about these cars. Although they aren't getting the idea across very well, this is a fully electric vehicle. The car is driven by an electric motor; the electricity comes from joining hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell. However, it is similar to a gas-electric hybrid in that it has a battery which recaptures and stores energy when the car is coasting, going downhill, and braking. I suppose you could call it an electric-electric hybrid, since it has two sources of electricity (fuel cell and battery). I would expect all hydrogen vehicles to be hybrids in this sense, since it adds minimal cost for large increases in fuel efficiency.
In terms of efficiency and fuel cost, if I remember correctly, the car should go around 200 miles on a single "tank," and the cost should be comparable to driving a gas vehicle if gasoline was around $2.50/gallon.
Will post a transcript if I can find one.
We just need to develop new technology so we can produce hydrogen more efficiently. You think when a new technology/fuel comes onto the market it is being utilized and produced at 100% efficiency?
Only through current methods of producing electricity. Power from wind turbines, solar panels and hydro stations is completely emission free.
Imagine covering the roof of your house or garage with solar panels to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen, and putting the collected hydrogen into your car. The only on-going cost would be water, which you could collect from rain with water tanks.
The only problem with hydrogen at the moment is storage. Because the hydrogen molecules are so small, they seep through any container they are put in. If that problem is solved, I honestly think the world's energy crisis will be solved. We will all get free, non-pollutive, plentiful energy.
I think the US really needs to get on the ball with nuclear energy that way we'll have plenty of energy with less environmental impact. Yes there is a risk but modern power plants are much safer than things like Chernobyl.
My dad's company is also developing clean burning fossil fuel burning power plants.
Is it true they get the Hydrogen from water + electricity or do they just get it from oil. I've heard it both ways.
My dad's company is also developing clean burning fossil fuel burning power plants.
Is it true they get the Hydrogen from water + electricity or do they just get it from oil. I've heard it both ways.