brokemedstudent

I know, I know. That is far from what "hybrid" is implying in this category. I just wanted to post some brain food for everyone. (I didn't what my first post to be asking a favor!)

Besides, you know what this means... <U>more gas for us</U>!!

check out the site. http://www.hondacorporate.com/fcx/
(shown at the Toronto show this year, one picture at 'fantasycars.com')

or ?

ShaunRR

I don't think fuel cell cars are the future and I doubt they will end up taking off. Too many technilogical and infrastructure issues.

I think E85 is the best "green" fuel option. Its like race gas with cleaner emissions. Helps solve the strategic issues with gasoline too.

http://www.e85fuel.com/

civickiller

yup ethanol is the wave of the future. cleaner burning, 113 octane, help our economy, renewable.

lots of E85 cars around but not much gas stations pumping out E85

i just did a report on global warming and one of my subtopics was ethanol so i did alot of research on it

Daemione

Yeah, the FCX has been around for a little while now - I remember a report a few months back on cold weather testing they had done successfully. Very cool technology - unfortunately still staggeringly expensive.

But the major inherent problem with the fuel cell is that it requries hydrogen - and since the VAST majority of our hydrogen is generated by burning natural gas . . . . it kinda brings us right back where we started, dependence on fossil fuels.

ShaunRR

Yep there are two ways of generating hydrogen: elecrolysis, which is horribly inefficient, and and steam reforming, which produces lots of carbon dioxide(the very thing we are trying to avoid).

brokemedstudent

I agree. Ethanol would be much more efficient and easier to manufacture. It's a shame we aren't using all that corn we grow here in the US as fuel.

In terms of electrolysis, it is pretty inefficient (but abundant --&gt;solar, wind). However, there are alternative sources such as captureing and purifying that of landfill decomposition (very limited depending on maturity of landfill).

Thank you fellas for sharing your knowledge.

Addison

overall, for the FCX

ShaunRR

Actually, the gas that arises from decomposing organic matter is methane, not hydrogen. There are no earthly sources for pure hydrogen. All the hydrogen on earth is combined with other elements because it is so reactive.

Justin Jones

actually, you get a shitload of hydrogen from using hydroelectricity. right now it's all going to waste, but soon in the city i'm from (winnipeg) city buses will run on hydrogen since we get all our power from hydro basically.

I like fuel cells... but i like plain hydrogen more. just take regular internal combustion that's already in all our cars, modify the fuel injection system... raise the compression... run hydrogen.

ShaunRR

Containment is still a huge issue with using hydrogen that way in cars.

Generating hydrogen from electricity(electolysis) is very inefficient no matter where the electricity comes from. The electricity is much better used in the electrical grid. However that is a good way to use excess generating capacity.

civickiller

ethanol for fuel is getting closer and closer to actual production then you think, i mean i wouldnt be surprised if in 10 years all cars arent converted to E85 and it can be found at every gas station