How come fuel-efficient cars (e.g. hydrogen, electric) aren't mainstream if they are 10 years in development?

Question

I mean the first prototypes were released in the 90s.

Answer 1

They're quite small compared to some vehicles and yet they're just as expensive. People who can afford them are buying bigger vehicles while those who can only afford a small vehicle are not buying the costly hybrids.

Answer 2

One wonders, indeed! Anyway, I have 2 cars that run on natural gas (methane), and they were made by Ford clear back in 1999 and 2000. I had never heard of such a thing until about 7 months ago, and that was just by chance. They didn't make a lot of them, but they are out there. Part of the problem is in refueling because in some states, there are no stations at all. It seems to depend upon your local government, so if we'd all put more pressure on the politicians, maybe they's get on it and provide more incentives for alternative fuel vehicles. Don't give up, that's all I can say. Push for it, and it can happen.

Answer 3

actually electric cars and hydrogen cars have been around much longer than 10 years. in fact until the late 1920's there were a number of different fuels used in automobiles. electric power, steam power, ethanol, diesel, methane, etc. what happened was that the oil companies who made gasoline were willing to spend the money to build the infrastructure to support gas powered cars, and we have been developing that infrastructure for over 100 years world wide. electric cars have been held back due to battery technology, and the lack of range. diesel cars were held back due to a lack of fueling stations, and now are being held back in this country due to emission regulations, and fuel costs. hydrogen fueled cars still have issues to be sovled also, mostly the lack of infrastructure to support the cars.

Answer 4

some of the alternative powered cars give off harmful cardbon emissions and may increase the humidity and harm the soil, water, the oxygen, and so on.

and we will be using lots and lots of oil(which we are trying to exclude from using) to make such products (e.g. hydrogen materials and containers, batteries) just to power these cars.

it's a very tricky process, and not many people own these alternative automobiles.

they're super expensive

Answer 5

We have had them but the people who made them are gone to a better place than here. RIP Stan, Tesla,etc

W2G

http://www.water2gas.com

Answer 6

There is added pressure now that the worldwide cost of gas has effected food prices, merchandise prices and shipping and transporting everything else.

The technology is there. Now, the dollars to develop the more gas efficient or alternative energy products will become available. It still takes time, but now we can't wait 10 years. We can't wait 5 years as gas prices are continuing to rise.

Answer 7

There have been several factors slowing the development of electric cars.  Primarily oil companies buying the battery technology patents and not allowing their production, and the fact that when gas was cheap there just wasn't much demand for electrics.  Now they're developing rapidly though.

http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/electr...

Hydrogen vehicles are facing many fundamental roadblocks, as described in the link below.

http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/hydrog...

Answer 8

Cheap oil.

there was no need for hydrogen or electric car when oil was cheap. And hydrogen is a pipe dream until someone come up with a cheap clean way to make hydrogen.

Answer 9

In reality the (original) technology is very cheap.  Car manufacturers only make it look expensive in order to stay in the loop once the technology goes mainstream. The main reason it has not been done so is politics. Yes, the politics of business. Businessman selling oil wont profit from it coz the source is water. Politicians wont benefit from it because they cant tax water and there will be no more businessmen (selling oil) to fund their campaigns. Simply put, replacing oil with water = 0 oil dependence = free renewal energy source = 0 business for oil mongers. Imagine how super-rich oil businessmen suddenly become bankrupt because of this technology. Imagine oil-lobbying politicians having no businessmen to lobby their vested interests with.

Answer 10

I'm with you.  Let's get with it, folks.  Don't they have government vehicles and buses that use hydrogen fuel - water.   I hope it would cost under a dollar a gallon.  It's definitely conceivable.  What's stopping progress?  Is It the red tape?