Consumers picked to test hydrogen car prototypes

August 27, 2008 By KEN THOMAS , Associated Press Writer

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Thomas Albert, of Alexandria, Va., drives his Chevrolet Equinox Electric Fuel Cell Vehicle at a Shell Hydrogen Fueling station in Washington on Wednesday June 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

(AP) -- Tom Albert drove his loaner Chevrolet Equinox like any other car. He took it to work during the week, picked up groceries, and loaded up the back with bags of soil at the garden store. When his infant son was fussy, Albert drove the newborn around the block to calm him down.

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• Roj - Aug 28, 2008
  • Rank: 4 / 5 (2)

  'Is it the engine noise that quiets the baby or the road noise?'

  
  
  Its neither. Its the kid accepting his fate, being stuck again with dear old dad.
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• ShadowRam - Aug 28, 2008
  • Rank: 3 / 5 (1)
  So it has one big electric motor and a powertrain?
  
  Wouldn't it be cheaper, lighter, and better to have 4 small motors direct drive on each wheel?
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• Sanescience - Aug 28, 2008
  • Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
  Don't let big industry convince you that Hydrogen is the answer to anything. They only want to sell the very expensive equipment to consumers and the government.
  
  Nature has shown that the best method of energy storage and transportation for our environment are hydrocarbons. In ten years most of our energy could come from renewable non-food competing crops, green waste, and algae hydroponics. The fuels produced would not require massive and wasteful infrastructure changes.
  
  Hydrogen is toxic, artificial, and inefficient to produce. And as it leaks into the air (hydrogen is incredibly difficult to contain) it rises to the upper atmosphere where it depletes the ozone layer. The reaction also injects water into the upper atmosphere where it acts as a green house gas much more potent than CO2.
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• fuchikoma - Aug 28, 2008
  • Rank: not rated yet
  Hydrogen cars are just a distraction that keep us dependent on large supply companies for our fuel. It is far less energy efficient than gasoline or other hydrocarbons. It is costly to produce. It is physically impossible to store long-term as it leeches out. I'm totally not concerned for explosion risk in above-ground parking facilities, but that's kind of moot given the other factors.
  
  If auto makers made any serious effort to make a full electric car, even with 50 year old tech, we'd have a fine, impressive, useful car. The EV-1 didn't have range or power delivery issues and could now be made with Li-Ion batts instead of NiMH. If anything needs work, it's just lengthening the life cycle of the battery packs because the rest is pretty laughable in terms of maintenance!
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