When will hydrogen and electric cars and fueling stations be widely available to the public?

Question

When will hydrogen and electric cars and fueling stations be widely available to the public?

Answer 1

I d**n sure hope so, and I d**n sure hope this alternative fuel will be much more cost effective that that $3 and on up gas as of late.

Answer 2

I heard a Wall St. energy specialist estimate 20 years from now.  You have hit upon the important issue:  a meaningful distribution and service system.  The vehicles are seemingly well under way to passing the public expectations.  Except, as you suggest, we will still need wide availability.   My option would be natural gas because it is clean and there is an existing infrastructure to fuel the autos.  I do so wish that the Greens would accept a compromise.

Answer 3

When the oil companies (yes, oil companies, because they have exclusive rights- they said so) figure out how to maximise profits from alternative fuels!

Answer 4

too bad you grew up in an age of plenty, and the ability to satisfy your needs now rather than learn patience. remember that in the early day of the automobile we had several fuel sources, including ethanol, gasoline, steam power, and electric power. for the most part all fell out of favor as it was easier to make gasoline at the time, and the oil industry was willing to make the investment in the infrastructure to support gasoline powered cars. we have been building and refining the infrastructure for gasoline powered cars for over 100 years now, and that wont go away overnight, and building an infrastructure to support an alternative fuel car wont pop up overnight either. in the US, it took 15 years for enough diesel powered cars and light trucks on the road to get the retail fuel outlets to start selling diesel around the country so you didnt have to find a truck stop to fuel your diesel mercedes.

Answer 5

when the demand and gas prices goes up

Answer 6

Electric cars already are, and some really nice ones will be available in the next year or two.

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

Electric fueling stations are available everywhere that's connected to the power grid.  Rapid recharge stations will take a little more time to become widely available, because there has to be demand first.  The nice part about EVs is that you don't need a rapid recharge station, so people will buy EVs without them in place and create the demand.  There's no chicken and egg problem.

With hydrogen, there is a chicken and egg problem.  Nobody is goingn to build fueling stations without hydrogen cars available, and nobody is going to buy a hydrogen car if there's nowhere to fuel it.  That's just one problem among many with hydrogen which will prevent that technology from being available for at least 20 years.

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