Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle
Credit: Toyota/Fuel Cell Today
A couple of issues which are not well developed in the linked articles:
• While hydrogen can be produced by splitting water electrolytically, “… in practice, the majority of hydrogen (∼95%) is produced from fossil fuels by steam reforming or partial oxidation of methane & coal gasification …”* I.e. it is not “green”.
• “The large amount of energy required to isolate hydrogen from natural compounds (water, natural gas, biomass), package the light gas by compression or liquefaction, transfer the energy carrier to the user, plus the energy lost when it is converted to useful electricity with fuel cells, leaves around 25% for practical use.” – Dr. Ulf Bossel**
Questions:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094899_10-questions-on-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-to-ask-toyota-honda-hyundai
Answers – Part 1:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095441_hydrogen-fuel-cell-car-questions-toyota-honda-hyundai-respond-part-1
Part 2:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095464_hydrogen-fuel-cell-car-questions-toyota-honda-hyundai-respond-part-2
Part 3:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095477_hydrogen-fuel-cell-car-questions-toyota-honda-hyundai-respond-part-3
One good piece of news though: there is nothing fundamental to hydrogen fuel cell technology that requires FCVs to be as ugly as the one pictured above.
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* Production of hydrogen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_production#Electrolysis
** Dr. Ulf Bossel
http://phys.org/news85074285.html / hydrogen fuel cell vehicles California buyers users 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell lease fuel cell vehicle Los Angeles Auto Show Honda skepticism analysts green car fans electric vehicle car advocates viability practicality USA North America three automakers product executives hydrogen vehicles Hyundai Toyota Honda volume sales terms delivered minimum CARB California Air Resources Board ZEV rules launch sell lease battery electric plug in hybrid vehicles global auto production battery electric vehicle BEV hydrogen vehicle refuel for 300 miles less than 10 minutes Tesla Model S Supercharge Spercharger 200 miles 20 minutes larger batteries DC quick charged 135 kilowatts affordable battery electric car advantage disadvantage early adopter travel specific location refuel home workplace charging electric car miles today strong vocal lobby owners supporters advocates advocated groundswell fuel cell advocates consumer demand fueling infrastructure energy balance sector private enterprise profit making business building stations selling hydrogen fuel industry capital build thousands hydrogen fueling stations kiloWatt hour kWh energy propel one third distance hydrogen good use energy transportation wells to wheels footprint analysis same grid source critique higher carbon footprint dispute carbon footprint manufacturing batteries electric motors electric cars lifecycle carbon emissions manufacturing of its fuel cell vehicle results /
