Is a hydrogen-powered vehicle actually environmentally friendly? Is it a smart car idea or just a waste of money?
By no means hailed as being a "car of the future" and definitely a considerable amount of time away from being commonplace on roads worldwide, there is a significant debate regarding whether hydrogen-powered vehicles are indeed a smart car idea or money thrown down the drain.
Hydrogen cars use what's known as a fuel cell, which in itself emits no polluting gases, however to get the hydrogen used to power the vehicle itself, it's necessary to extract it from water molecules i.e. remove the oxygen. It is here, before the process of recombining the hydrogen molecule with the oxygen molecules, that the problems begin.
Should the process used be reliant on fossil fuels, such as natural gas or coal for example, then it defeats the purpose for which it was instilled. Producing hydrogen from water - a process that requires nuclear energy to complete - is another option but one equally as defeating.
Strangely enough, hydrogen production from methods using solar power or wind-power rarely gets a mention, which infuriates environmentalists.
Nevertheless, the European Commission seems to believe that it is a technology worth pursuing, as it has recently awarded nearly half a million euros to researching the hydrogen-powered car based on the fact it emits neither greenhouse gases from the exhaust nor contributes to pollution as much as the conventional car.
The Commission has also decided to eliminate regulations that currently inhibit the cheaper cost of producing the hydrogen-powered car. At the moment, one car costs just over 125,000 euros to produce.
And they are not alone. Manufacturers of Toyota, Daimler-Benz, BMW and Mazda are all spending some quality time and money researching hydrogen technology, which has resulted in Toyota producing the Prius and FCHV, Daimler-Benz adapting it's A-Class car, BMW making the 750hL and Mazda producing RX-8 Hydrogen RE which runs on both petrol and hydrogen.
Unfortunately, most of these models are not currently available. Scheduled release dates are around 2010 onwards, echoing thoughts by the European Commission that it is unlikely that such technology will make any visible difference on the roads over the forthcoming decade.
Another power that has deemed the hydrogen car a smart car idea is the US government, who has pledged over a billion dollars into researching hydrogen technology.
Then, there are the energy companies such as Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil who were some of the first companies to realise the potential of hydrogen and have ploughed millions into research and development to ensure that should the market change, they will still be making a profit.
Some steps towards integrating hydrogen cars into the system have already been taken in an attempt to speed things up. BMW in connection with Shell Oil built the world's first automatic hydrogen-filling station back in 1999 at Munich Airport.
Judging by the fact that no further stations seem to have been built since, and that the hydrogen-powered vehicle seems to have more potential in theory rather than reality, perhaps the "smart car idea versus waste of money" debate ought to continue for a little longer until progress finds a place for this type of technology.
At this stage, whether it be a smart car idea or a waste of money is anybody's guess.
Cars That Run on Water Tip #1
No matter what anybody tells you, there is not yet a water powered car in production. That is an urban myth that reached its peak with Stanley Meyer who claimed that he drove one hundred miles using only four ounces of water (he was later convicted of fraud). The water powered engine hasn't even been invented yet. Scientists are still trying to figure out if it is even possible. |
Cars That Run on Water Tip #2
Many major car manufacturers are embracing the idea of the hydrogen car. BMW hopes to release a hydrogen car to the public by 2008 (or 2010 at the latest) and other manufacturers like Toyota are also making plans to release hydrogen car lines. Of course the debate over using hydrogen in cars is still raging and nothing has been settled yet. |
Cars That Run on Water Tip #3
While both a water based engine and a hydrogen engine will do wonders for fuel emissions and the environment, one of the major reasons people want them is to improve their fuel mileage. Of course, gas mileage can be improved right now. You can improve your gas mileage drastically just by driving sensibly and making sure your car is maintained properly. |
