How Far along are hydrogen powered cars?

Question

Are they more expensive? do you fuel them with a home tank? Why are we not trying harder to make hydrogen power the norm? Are they dangerous?

Answer 1

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/...

Iceland is doing a pilot program with hydrogen.  They started with a few busses, have added some cars and now, even a boat.  Shell oil has funded some of this and I am sure hydrogen or something "green" will eventually be available.

But with all the oil and natural gas they are finding in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado we might as well use that for the next fifty or so years.  In Wyoming alone, I think I read they will add 50 thousand new oil wells in 2008 alone.  Everything is set up to use it so we might as well keep the status quo for a few more decades.

We already power the space shuttle with hydrogen so we know it has enough power......lol

The conversion is a HUGE project and will take a long time to do.

Google "Iceland hydrogen program" for much more information.

EDIT  this is also interesting

http://www.physorg.com/news98556080.html

Answer 2

ALTERNATIVE FUEL IS GOOD, BUT THE DRAW BACKS ARE NOW THEY'D HAVE TO BUILD CARS FOR THIS FUEL AND THEN LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THE PRICE WILL RISE FOR HUGE PROFITS, THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE. BUT WITH A HORSE AND BUGGY. THE HORSE EATS YOUR LAWN FOR FUEL.

Answer 3

You've been lied to.  The technology barely exists, despite some attractive full-page ads that imply otherwise.  The fuel cells are still spacecraft-expensive and require a high level of maintenance.  

And, of course, there's no place to get the amount of hydrogen required.  Nobody sells hydrogen except your local welding-gas company, and they make it by heating up natural gas, which is exceedingly expensive to do, even though the by-product is carbon black, which you can also sell.  

Now, we know that you can manufacture hydrogen by passing electric current through water, but there are at present no plans to build the large-scale electrolysis plants that would be necessary, and there are problems with this technology that haven't been addressed.  For example, the life of the electrodes is a factor, as is the disposal of some unpleasant products obtained when the water must be doped with chemicals to improve its conductivity.  

Hydrogen is currently transported in special tank trucks.  We don't have any hydrogen pipelines and there are no plans to build any, because they require extremely expensive pipe and fittings; heaven only knows what you must do about intermediate pumping facilities.  For example, you can't use steel pipes or tanks, because the tiny hydrogen atoms penetrate into microscopic fissures in the metal and make it weak and brittle.  

And so I wouldn't get too excited about hydrogen.  It's not a very efficient way of transporting or storing energy.

Answer 4

BMW and Honda both make road ready Hydrogen cars but to date you can only lease them and must have access to Hydrogen refill stations in your area.

Amazing, the cars have been ready for years, just no place to get the fuel!

Answer 5

They're safe, and drivable. Jey Leno has one :)

I heard they're safer then conventional gas powered cars.