Do you think most of our population will have "green" (non polluting) cars before too much longer?

Question

Hybrid's don't count since they still use gas.

What about hydrogen-powered cars? That's really what I'm taking about... Do you think most people will have them in, say, 10 years or so?

Will we have to pay for Hydrogen gas at Hydrogen gas stations? If so, how much do you think it will cost? (What might it be measured in? For example, gasoline is in gallons)

Also, what are some other alternate-fuel cars that you know of?

Answer 1

I heard about these things called hydrogen boosters that are suppose to break down water in a small chamber and produce hydrogen gas( the state not the fuel) to mix in with the fuel at the injectors. However since hydrogen is highly volatile you run the risk of blowing your self up if there is small leak.

I read it on a questionable web site though so I'll throw a link up and let you be the judge.

Answer 2

NO !!! We are not there yet. NASA uses liquid hydrogen because it is the most explosive gas on earth.

Answer 3

well at this point in time, MOST of the population can't stand the idea of clean cars. they scream about the "liberal hippie agenda" at the mere mention of them. anything clean is immediately likened to hardcore eco-nazism.

I guess people WANT to pay 4, 5, and 6 bucks a gallon. either that or see every last inch of our formerly beautiful planet covered in oil wells.

I'd like to think that in ten years, many people will own a fine hydrogen or electric car, but the reality of it is that technology like that has been around for over 20 years and there still isn't a single one on the road.

whatever the next fuel is, you can bet 100% that it will be something you can only get at a pump. the only thing worse to the government that clean energy is FREE energy

Answer 4

There is no such thing as a "non polluting" car, only a 'less polluting' car.

You seem to have the mistaken impression that hydrogen-powered cars are clean, or cleaner than gasoline cars.  This is only the case if the original power source used to make the hydrogen was clean, and it is unlikely we will have much of that for another several decades.  Also, hydrogen from electricity is very energy inefficient, and it is unlikely that we will ever have enough "clean" electricity to power all of our cars with hydrogen.  At present, a hybrid car is about as clean or "non polluting" as a hydrogen fuel cell car.

For other options; there are battery powered cars.  These are very efficient, and in several decades we may have enough "clean" electricity to power every car on the road.  However, batteries have limited capacity, and current battery powered vehicles have maximum ranges of about 150 miles.

There are other types of fuel cells.  There is a zinc-oxide fuel cell which has been developed for automotive infrastructure.  It can even be refueled quickly.  It is also about as efficient as a battery, and can even be used as a rechargeable one.  So you can get about 200 miles and recharge, or stop at a 'filling station' to exchange your consumed electrolyte for new electrolyte.

And then there is biomass.  Ethanol can be made from grains and cellulose.  Plant oils can be turned into biodiesel, OR used as inputs into normal refining in place of crude oil.  Gasoline might still exist in the future, but be made from plant oils.

Answer 5

I think we're on the brink. There are cars that run off of bio-diesel and also on refined cooking oils. Bio-diesel is mainly ethanol (corn product).

Answer 6

Short answer: no.

First one has to define "pollution."  That seems a loaded term.  

I prefer to think of the "load" a particular item puts on the environment.  

Manufacturing, maintaining, and disposing of objects uses a certain amount of energy and with current materials results in some permanent waste and a gradual degradation of some of the recycled materials (plastic, tires) so that they eventually become waste or are distributed into the general environment.  

Using the object creates a load on the environment.  The nature of that load depends on what the object uses and what it emits.  Certainly we can make vehicles that emit very little during use.  Some rubber dust.  Water vapor.  But the fuel still has to be made.  And there's bound to be a load there.

So in general terms, I doubt a vehicle can be made that doesn't have some kind of direct or indirect load.

I do expect a revolution in our transportation systems and in the way we think of transportation as a daily requirement.  I expect we'll see more local production of things and food generally.  I don't think it will happen quickly.

Answer 7

No, Mr. Diesel's engine originally ran on coal.   But they didn't have the technology to keep it running so he switched to diesel.

Once we start running low on crude I think there will be a switch to coal.  I predict we'll be driving smoke belching coal fired cars.

Answer 8

No not as long as there is money to be made with petroleum ,the same people who own that ,are the ones that make the laws

They are also the same people that make the internal combustion engine cars and they are already destroying all the forests for the production of ethanol ,in case the oil runs short