Comments on: US dumps support for fuel cell cars

By: lazybones

lazybones — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:54:42 +0000

This doesn’t surpise me at all. The Hydrogen enconomy numbers just don’t stack up. When you look at the energy loss from producing 100Kw of energy, then packaging this into H2, getting this to your H2 network then into your fuel cell car. The amount of energy left to drive the wheels is like 30% of what you started with. Then there’s the cost of the infrastructure and the cars. Even the honda has a price tag of 1M US.

Take 100kw of energy, pump it over the grid and into a battery and amount of energy left to drive the wheels is about 80%. Given we have electricity everywhere all ready. And battery technology is only improving (look up the new Nanotech battery). The pros for a simpler EV will out swing Hydrogen in 10 years easy.

The only reason Bush backed Hydrogen is because he’s an oil man, the majority of hydrogen production comes from fossil fuel using GAS only 5% is from Electrolysis. The oil companies favour H2 because you have to fill up at their stations where they can control the supply and price. Just look at the majority of media featuring a H2 filling station and you’ll see a petrol company logo backing it.

The saudi oil minister has already been vocal on the subject of ethanol blended fuel. Whats he going to say if we all start pluging are cars into the wall at home & work and sending our cash to local energy suppliers?

By: Calvin

Calvin — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:52:40 +0000

I find it hard to believe the US admin are planning 10-20 years ahead they should check the dipstick on oil reserves.
Electric will not be viable in this term of office for Obama and I doubt even in the next.

Do they really believe that an 18-wheel truck is going to be able to travel coast-to-coast on batteries? Or is there going to be a second generation of investment in railroads? The last time big bucks were spent there was in 1880s. We may be able to get 100 maybe 200 miles in EV but recharging is still too slow.

H2 is viable in California thanks to a Republican Governor – Arnold Schwarzenegger and will be the fuel of the rest of the world.

This is an awful decision when billions are being wasted in less fruitful ventures by this government.

By: Elitist

Elitist — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:11:56 +0000

The Italians, Germans and Japanese will perfect the technology.
Just be patient. Iv’e seen BMW cars running on cells, Honda and Toyota are onto it and Fiat as well. Ive even seen an electric car by Fiat that did 30km/h in their museum from 1904, so its always been in their intentions.

By: Gav

Gav — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:45:54 +0000

Fundamental failure…

Protecting the immediate future and ignore the real long-term issue will solve nothing!

By: Phill

Phill — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:10:16 +0000

Check out this video,http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7365305906535911834 here’s some good bits 33:59mins to 39:13 Pantone Geet fuel processer,01:05:07 to 01:11:35 electic car that never needs a recharge and 01:20:27 to 01:31:48 crystal energy converter.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:32:52 +0000

God what an idiot. The only thing I can think of that Obama isn’t doing better than George Bush. So what are immediate sollutions? Hybrids? Because we all now know that they aren’t all that green. Hydrogen is the only way and it should be funded.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:03:22 +0000

Good to know they’ve got their priorities in order. I was actually thinking what Tom said.

It took them this long to realise people don’t want V8s so no reason they shouldn’t be completely behind on this too: jump on the EV bandwagon when Japan and Europe are already looking ahead to hydrogen.

By: Yianni

Yianni — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:14:43 +0000

There’s another step back in going green.

I’m not sure why they want to continue to rely on oil. 100 million dollar a year is peanuts considering how much is being spent at the moment bailing out all these dodgy companies and fighting wars that shouldn’t even have happened.

This is just going to slow progress down and make them continue to spend billions on oil per year with no progress being made to stop relying on oil.

Ridiculous decision.

By: Bor'ka

Bor'ka — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:41:22 +0000

Obama won’t be up for election in 10-20 years, so why bother spending money on this now. Especially when he needs to fund GM.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:29:11 +0000

And people say Obama is progressive. Seriously, wouldn’t be surprised if the real reason is because their local manufacturers have put all their eggs in the EV basket, and so supporting hydrogen fuel cell technology would only help overseas manufacturers, ie Honda and BMW.

By: Horse

Horse — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:19:00 +0000

100 million, nice saving
That should fund america’s current war’s for a week or so.

By: Elitist

Elitist — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:18:27 +0000

I think America just wants to do what they always do..
Some other country invents the new technology then they acquire or buy it out and claim as their own.