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Making Hybrids Irrelevant?

Created November 15, 2007, at 4:00 am by ULEVLover

Saw on MyRide.com that Honda launched its FCX fuel cell vehicle today. (http://www.myride.com/research/editorial/makeandmodel/mixedsources.html?editorialId=3368)
If this takes off, what does it mean for hybrids?

2 years ago

Fuel cells are great, they run off of hydrogen and only produce water. The only problem is that hydrogen, unlike oil, solar, nuclear, wind, etc is not an energy source but just a carrier of energy. We need to get the energy to make the hydrogen from somewhere. While one can use the aforementioned energy sources to make hydrogen, it is very expensive, wasting well over 3/4 of the energy just making hydrogen and running it in a fuel cell.
Battery electric vehicles or Plug-in Hybrids only waste about 20% of the energy to charge them.
Additionally, fuel cells are very complex machines and will likely remain expensive for some time to come.
Thirdly, it is very hard to store hydrogen as it's small molecular size makes it leak out of any kind of container.
I also need to remind you that the FCX is actually a hybrid, using a battery, just as gasoline hybrids do, to permit a small (cheaper) fuel cell for average usage and the battery for high performance.
Best thing to do with a fuel cell vehicle: Get rid of the fuel cell and put in a larger battery to get a pure battery electric vehicle.

2 years ago

It means that you will have to
1) Pay lots more money than for a conventional car (unless subsidized).
2) Only drive where the refueling stations are available.
3) Less worries about CO poisioning by running the vehicle in an enclosed area (but do not try this, I could be wrong.)

If it "takes off" it will accelerate the electric car industry. A Fuel Cell Vehicle will be more expensive than a production electric car ... and have far fewer advantages. (You will never have a Hydrogen fuel station in your house, but you already have an electric car refilling station at both you house and work. You will always have to pay for Hydrogen, but never for sunshine)

I (e.g whole family) have two Priuses and one will hopefully get replaced by an electric car. It will not be replaced by a Fuel Cell Vehicle.

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