Four days at the wheel of a hydrogen car

By Nichola Groom
June 18, 2008


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - I love my cute, zippy little Mini Cooper, but lately I've been cursing it each time I spend more than $50 to fill up.

So, when GM offered me the chance to test-drive a car that runs on hydrogen, I thought it would be a good way not only to save on gas but also to try a technology that some tout as the long-term answer to the emissions contributing to climate change.

And, I thought: "Just think of the bragging rights."

Before I could get behind the wheel, I had to go through an orientation. There, I saw a slide demonstrating the difference between what happens when there is a fuel leak in a hydrogen car versus a gasoline-powered car.

Because hydrogen is lighter than air, the hydrogen car had a thin flame shooting upwards at the rear of the car. The gas car, meanwhile, was completely engulfed in flames.

With that, I was ready to take a look at my car. There are just 100 hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox cars in the country, and for four days, one of them would be mine.

(Other car makers are also developing hydrogen-powered vehicles. Honda said this week it had begun production of the FCX Clarity, planning to release 200 of them in Japan and the United States over the next three years.)

At first glance, the Equinox looked like a regular SUV, except for the words "GM Fuel Cell" on the side next to a design showing dozens of water molecules -- not exactly subtle.

On closer inspection, I noticed it had no tailpipe. Instead, water vapor is emitted from four thin outlets in the back of the vehicle. It felt like hot air.

Inside, the instrument panel has a gauge that measures how much power is being used, in kilowatts, and the fuel gauge icon looks like a gas pump with an "H" on it for hydrogen.

But it wasn't until I turned the car on that I noticed the big difference -- no noise. Without the hum of a combustion engine, it didn't feel right.

From the outside, you can hear airy, swooshing sounds as it powered up and down, which several people I drove with likened to the sound of a very quiet jet engine.

WHISTLING ENGINE

On the road, it felt normal except for the high-pitched whistle of compressing gas, a near-constant reminder that I was in a different kind of car.

Another difference was its acceleration. Because the engine doesn't have to shift gears, it speeds up with remarkable smoothness.

But here's the big drawback to hydrogen-powered cars. The Equinox has a range of only 160 to 200 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, and mine only lasted about two days. There are only four places in the Los Angeles area where you can refuel.

More at: Reuters

Hydrogen, the "$5 a gallon" fuel of the future.

I think we need to go all electric so everyone can create the fuel for their cars efficiently, not just fuel companies that already cannot be trusted. Everyone can create electricity on the roof of their house from solar panels that are becoming less and less expensive. Only large companies can semi-efficiently create the amount of hydrogen needed to power a car and they are using electricity to create it anyway.

Electric car:
Solar panel creates electricity -> electricity is stored in a battery in the home -> electricity is transferred to car -> car runs on electricity

Hydrogen car:
Gas, coal, nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power plants create electricity (most of them inefficiently) -> electricity travels to hydrogen plant (with power loss) -> electricity is used to create hydrogen from water (with loss of energy) -> hydrogen is shipped and piped around the world (with vapor loss) -> hydrogen is pumped into cars (with vapor loss) -> hydrogen is converted into electricity (with loss of energy) -> and electricity is used to run the car.

Hydrogen power is just using the hydrogen to carry the electric power inefficiently due to all of the transport and conversion rather than using electricity directly. Hydrogen is a way for fuel companies to keep a stranglehold on transportation and it being glamorized everywhere because politicians are getting money from fuel company lobbyists to promote it (ie Bush and Schwarzenegger).

Electric is the way to go and use biofuels like bio-diesel and ethanol for the long trips that you can't make on a single battery.

I think you made good points. Overall I'd just be happy to see more progress in that direction though.

I keep hearing talk about Methane power and I sorta roll my eyes. Haven't we learned anything yet?

I agree solar and the electric car is the way to go. Hopefully there will be some real R&D into batteries in the not too distant future.

As far as solar goes I think the technology is already up to scratch.

Just for interest sake, a month or two ago some guy came by to try and sell some solar thermal photaic (or something) tubing for water heating and it was really impressive. The tube looked like a sort of long vacuum flask about 6 foot long and he poured 2 liters cold tap water in and within a minute and a half it was so hot one couldn't touch it. That's a lot faster than a kettle can boil.

They've got something here they're now marketing as the "Endless Water Heater" - sure beats the efficiency of the current water heater in the garage. We spend like $30 a month on gas just for that in the summer months, bc it's always having to keep the water warm - even when we're not here or using the water. LOL

Honda ( if I recall right ) has developed batteries that can be fully recharged in about one or so hour and can last for about 700km. Not sure though about the details.

I have planned to buy a new car in a four ( or so ) years time frame. I will not buy a new car if the car I want to buy hasn't adopted a hybrid technology. I have even stopped using my car unless I want to drive my family somewhere and I refill every 25 to 30 days ( costs me about 65 euros to refill ).

Hmm, how about an air powered car that costs $2/125 miles. I believe some %90 of city commuters drive less than that per day. This even beats a hybrid! OK, you can't go 0-60 MPH in 7 secs. but that's no longer the point, is it? I realize this will change a lot of the current infrastructure but gas prices will not go down ever what with China and India going gangbusters ATM. You think the sub-prime fiasco hurt? Just wait, this will hurt more I believe until things get sorted out.