Hydrogen Power/Fuel Cells

This is something that will effect everyone, whether you like cars or not....

Its apparent now that all of the automotive world will be turned upside down in the next few years ebcause of the simple fact that the world is low on gas. So, many companies have been developing Hydrogen powered vehicles, in fact a hydrogen fuel station has opened in Washington D.C. that is open every Wednesday. In a few years when you go buy a new car, they'll ask "Do you want the full hydrogen powered model or the gas/Electric hybrid. Any thoughts on this? The only con I see to hydrogen power is that if you wreck, you'll be driving a hydrogen bomb essentially if it catches fire. Thoughts?

Well, I guess its not the dream that one day a car will run on water/fresh air but its definately a huge step. If this is indeed cleaner and in plentiful supply this could be the biggest thing for cars since the invention of the wheel!

This is something that will effect everyone, whether you like cars or not....

Its apparent now that all of the automotive world will be turned upside down in the next few years ebcause of the simple fact that the world is low on gas. So, many companies have been developing Hydrogen powered vehicles, in fact a hydrogen fuel station has opened in Washington D.C. that is open every Wednesday. In a few years when you go buy a new car, they'll ask "Do you want the full hydrogen powered model or the gas/Electric hybrid. Any thoughts on this? The only con I see to hydrogen power is that if you wreck, you'll be driving a hydrogen bomb essentially if it catches fire. Thoughts?

Since when has the world been low on gas ? If anything we are producing surplus amounts at the moment(though that doesnt stop them from charging 2 bucks a gallon.)

In anycase hybrid cars wont become popular or the "nornm" for quite some time. For one the very limited selection of hybrid cars. #2 people wont want to give jup their cars so easily. I see the same exact problem with hydrogen cars, not enouggh selection. If maybe they introduced a sports car model or even a nice looking truck maybe people would start noticing them more, but as things currently stand there are only these "van" and akward looking cars they have out now. As for the whole accident-hydrogen bomb thing you need fusion for a explosion of that magnitude to happen. Hydrogen is only slightkly more explosive than octane (gas).

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/10/09/fuelcell/

^Just for reference, check out this article

Actually, there are a number of hybrid vehicles on the US market for the 2005 model year:

1) Honda Insight hybrid
2) Honda Civic hybrid
3) Toyota Prius hybrid
4) Ford Escape SUV hybrid
5) GMC Sierra truck hybrid
6) Honda Accord hybrid
and the Mitsubishi Eclipse concept car was a gas/electric hybrid that was at the '04 north american international auto show. I think that I missed some.

Yeah, its going to be a tough switchover from gas to other sources because there are already a century or more's worth of gas-powered vehicles on the road. This all probably won't take place for the next decade. You make a point Helios, they've been saying the world was low on gas since the 70's and were still pumping, but they have said that we're only producing 2% more than we need, so there's not much room for demand growth so....I dunno

Frist off do we have an understanding that hybrid cars and fuel-cell cars are two different things.
hybrid is a cross between gas and electric and fuel-cells run on hydrogen not water. thier are only about five or so privately owend test cars out right now that run on fuel-cells. you all probably already new that info but i just was making sure; everyone I talk to dosent seem to know the difference.

stats show that in about 40 years we will run out of natrural resources of petroleum although they have been saying that for the last 30 years. But with out a doubt we will run out some day. I think we should try to make the transision now and use the remander of petroleum on plastics and synthetic material. life would suck with out plastic. right now only about 2% of petroleum harvested is used towards other things besides Gas or dessiel fuels for cars and planes and what ever. if we switch over now at that rate we could use the other 98% for better things like plastics and our clothing( the synsthetic material ) for a long time ( plus plastic can be recycled). so it would last for about 450 more years at the same rate we consume now, and if we did not use it for gas we would consume less so it could last for the better part of the next 1000 years. Imagine how all that plastic could propel our space program. outer space is cool. we might even find a planet full of gas, and wow we will have gas forever.

Go Fuel-cells.

There is just a slight problem ChalfantMT with trying to overly use plastics in the space industry. There is a reason most orbital and near orbital vehichles and rockets are made out of titanium, called heat. At the presnt moment titanium is the best option, its lighter stronger and the most heat resistant.

In 2005 Chevro-Texaco in partnership with the US Department of Energy and AC Transit of California, are going to intergrate with already existing gas stations hydrogen energy distribution "pumps". At present moment the new system is going to implement 50 stations (not precisely sure on the number).

There is just a slight problem ChalfantMT with trying to overly use plastics in the space industry. There is a reason most orbital and near orbital vehichles and rockets are made out of titanium, called heat. At the presnt moment titanium is the best option, its lighter stronger and the most heat resistant.

In 2005 Chevro-Texaco in partnership with the US Department of Energy and AC Transit of California, are going to intergrate with already existing gas stations hydrogen energy distribution "pumps". At present moment the new system is going to implement 50 stations (not precisely sure on the number).


Thats great that they use Titanium on thier ships, other wise they would melt. :wtf:


If I was an astronaut I would also want titanium gloves.


Oh and for your info they use Carbon shielding for the heat, if they used titanium shielding they would all be marshmallows. Oh and what about the cold in deep space what do they do about that. they use insulation that implements Plastic into it for better comtainment of the heat within the ship. ;)

And about the Chevro-Texaco next year better buy some stock in hydrogen cell technology. :D

Yep, and if you do but some of that stock, you will retire rich, I'm pretty certain

At the end of this year MTI and Toshiba will introduce the first commercial micro fuel-cell power units. The fuel cells which have an expected life span of 3 times that of Alkaline type batteries, will generate electricity burning methanol (a type of alcohol). Once the fuel is exhausted it can be replenished by replacing a catridge or refilling the reservoir, a process that can take seconds rather than hours needed to recharge a battery.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,103689,00.asp

I am doing a huge project about this for school, i might put up some of my findings when i'm done.

Even with hybrid cars/trucks it win't stop the need for oil. Remeber, lights, air conditioning, electricity, etc. Need oli to run, with no oil, the world will change....drastically.

I believe that research is being done to find alternate power for that as well