(no subject)

[dr_tranny]

I sort of want one of these.

Kind of a shame they're only available in southern California. I'm sure if they catch on down there they'll become more readily available. Should be interesting to see where this goes in the next few years, especially in light of the whole Home Energy Station thing.

So, any bets on how fast the oil industry has this one buried like the all-electric car?

Comments

[cygnus.livejournal.com]

Well, it's good to know that the technology for fuel cells is already there for when we DO run out of oil. Maybe it can happen before Bush leaves office if he really works hard at it.

[dariens-haircut.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting to see how this whole fuel cell thing works. Specifically, fuel infrastructure. It's not like you can zip down to the nearest gas station for a bottle of H2. There are processes for getting H2 out of methane, methanol or other hydrocarbons, but the ad I saw the other day (presumably for this product) made no mention of where the fuel for the fuel cell comes from.

The safety fears that everybody always cites when the topic of hydrogen-powered cars comes up are pretty much bunk[1], but any new fuel is going to be hobbled by a lack of distribution infrastructure.

I assume the attraction of fuel cells must be a matter of efficiency or elimination of high stress lubricated moving parts (pistons, etc.). Otherwise, why would they be going that direction? Fuel cells use exotic (and expensive) materials and are highly succeptible to fouling. Hydrogen can be burned in a (modified or purpose-built) ICE, but it keeps losing out due to the aforementioned distribution problem, the aforementioned FUD, and the fact that the energy density of liquid hydrogen is less than that of gasoline.

[1] Assuming current tech or even old tech so long as the vehicle isn't coated with rocket fuel.

[dariens-haircut.livejournal.com]

Oh right. The home energy station; which wasn't mentioned in the ad that I saw. They'll have to make the interconnect a standard thing. If I were a petrochemical company, I'd be making sure I got a piece of that. I don't know how large of a dent that PV array is supposed to make. PV is getting better, but not that much better.

[thisearthlyride.livejournal.com]

Oooh- shiny and pretty!

I still want a f'ing Prius.

Why am I not one of the many rich hippies that live around here?

*grumble*