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Sean Malone
01-14-08, 10:24 PM
Interesting read on GM's fuel cell SUV.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,322668,00.html

Indy
01-15-08, 09:58 AM
Dude, step away from the Fox News.

Sean Malone
01-15-08, 10:03 AM
Dude, step away from the Fox News.

they got the hottest hotties. :D

Stu
01-15-08, 11:53 AM
that article sure was pessimistic on the future of our environment for foxnews :D

good to see GM developing these. i knew their lack of support of hybrids was because they were focused on a more serious fix rather than a bandaid.

fuel cell cars are likely the best option at fixing the US car market.

Methanolandbrats
01-15-08, 12:13 PM
When I was in college, we learned that combining hydrogen and electricity was a very bad thing.....how do cars avoid this problem while fueling, performing maintaince and during crashes? Also, the "zero emission" tag is ********. Somewhere a powerplant is grinding away to make the electricity to manufacture the hydrogen.

chop456
01-15-08, 12:54 PM
There are alternatives available immediately, but they'll be sure to string us along with the hydrogen pipe dream for the next 20 years or so.

Insomniac
01-15-08, 01:11 PM
There are alternatives available immediately, but they'll be sure to string us along with the hydrogen pipe dream for the next 20 years or so.

:confused: http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

Insomniac
01-15-08, 01:13 PM
When I was in college, we learned that combining hydrogen and electricity was a very bad thing.....how do cars avoid this problem while fueling, performing maintaince and during crashes? Also, the "zero emission" tag is ********. Somewhere a powerplant is grinding away to make the electricity to manufacture the hydrogen.

Isn't that true for every fuel pretty much? They have to refine oil to make gasoline. At least a car that gives off zero emissions while running is some reduction, right?

Methanolandbrats
01-15-08, 01:40 PM
Isn't that true for every fuel pretty much? They have to refine oil to make gasoline. At least a car that gives off zero emissions while running is some reduction, right? Ya, I guess so. I really like my diesel. I've been getting over 40 mpg for a decade(right Chop :) ). Run mostly dino with some bio. There is also synthetic diesel fuel derived from natural gas available now (Shell V Power) and synthetic diesel will be derived from coal and other biomass. I think we'll end up with numerous propulsion technologies depending on the drivers needs. Little electric city car for cosmo types. Big honking diesel for people who need to tow and do work, maybe fuel cells, etc....

chop456
01-15-08, 01:42 PM
:confused: http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/


only customers currently residing in the Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine areas who meet additional qualification criteria will be eligible to take an FCX Clarity home. Honda wants to ensure that FCX Clarity drivers will be able to take their vehicles in for service at participating dealers and have convenient access to refueling stations. Leasing will be handled through American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in conjunction with local dealers. Maintenance will also be covered by the three-year $600/month lease.

How much do you suppose that $600/mo. car cost to build? $200,000? $300,000?

Until infrastructure is there (20 years? 50?), and the car is even somewhat affordable, it's largely irrelevant.

A 3-cyl BioDiesel plug-in Hybrid could be built tomorrow, get 75mpg and be refueled anywhere*.

Even the Civic GX is an immediately-available technology that you can fuel at your house and limited other locations. But why run on CNG when you can use that same CNG to make Hydrogen? :gomer:

*With petrodiesel

G.
01-15-08, 02:15 PM
How much do you suppose that $600/mo. car cost to build? $200,000? $300,000?

Until infrastructure is there (20 years? 50?), and the car is even somewhat affordable, it's largely irrelevant.

A 3-cyl BioDiesel plug-in Hybrid could be built tomorrow, get 75mpg and be refueled anywhere*.

Even the Civic GX is an immediately-available technology that you can fuel at your house and limited other locations. But why run on CNG when you can use that same CNG to make Hydrogen? :gomer:

*With petrodieselI read today in a magazine (NSFW) that biodiesel has 70% MORE greenhouse emmissions than dinodiesel and gas. They believe that it's due to the nitrogen-rich fertilizer. The good news is that the pollutant is nitrous-oxide.:laugh:

(it was in playboyz)

Methanolandbrats
01-15-08, 02:23 PM
I read today in a magazine (NSFW) that biodiesel has 70% MORE greenhouse emmissions than dinodiesel and gas. They believe that it's due to the nitrogen-rich fertilizer. The good news is that the pollutant is nitrous-oxide.:laugh:

(it was in playboyz) I'm going to cancel my subscription to Scientific American and subscribe to that. I had no idea it was a scientific journal.

Sean Malone
01-15-08, 02:36 PM
My wife had a question about this when I told her about the fuel cell cars. "Where will we get the water to create the hydrogen when they won't let us water our lawns more than once a week?"

My answer was that I guess it will be the ocean. Then I started honking at people. :)

cameraman
01-15-08, 02:38 PM
I read today in a magazine (NSFW) that biodiesel has 70% MORE greenhouse emmissions than dinodiesel and gas. It depends on how you do the math. If you ignore that you used to corn oil to cook your lunch then yes it does release a whole lot of nitrogen. If you look at it from the point where it leaves the kitchen, it is pretty darn green.

Insomniac
01-15-08, 02:58 PM
How much do you suppose that $600/mo. car cost to build? $200,000? $300,000?

Until infrastructure is there (20 years? 50?), and the car is even somewhat affordable, it's largely irrelevant.

A 3-cyl BioDiesel plug-in Hybrid could be built tomorrow, get 75mpg and be refueled anywhere*.

Even the Civic GX is an immediately-available technology that you can fuel at your house and limited other locations. But why run on CNG when you can use that same CNG to make Hydrogen? :gomer:

*With petrodiesel

My goodness, I hope a car they lease out at $600/mo for 3 years ($21.6k ignoring NPV) doesn't cost $200-300k to build. It all has to start somewhere. I don't know if it will catch on and expand or not, but it's not vaporware. It's real and has been in actual use.

All of thos os good stuff. People are trying new things instead of the status quo. It means we're moving forward. :thumbup:

This guy was profiled in my local paper recently. He's doing some cool stuff.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah_Printer_Friendly.html