Cars Fueled by Hydrogen
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

TV ClubHouse: Archives: 2003 January: Cars Fueled by Hydrogen

Cablejockey

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 09:35 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I heard a report on tv from Detroit's Car Show, that they have a car there that is powered by a hydrogen cell and the only by-product that comes out of the car is water!!
I was amazed by this news. The cost is said to be the same as gasoline, and I am sure there is plenty of hydrogen to go around. I didnt hear them explain how it works, but the car won't be available for another 7 years anyway. This sounds so good, imagine not having to use oil! I hope this car does not keep getting put off for public use.

Draheid

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 10:08 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Cablejockey: You should see GMs work on a new concept called Autonomy which is a design for a vehicle chassis that you can select from a variety of bodies to 'snap' onto the chassis. Imagine being able to go to your garage and decide you want to drive an SUV today ... you simply snap on the SUV body to your Autonomy chassis and off you go. Tomorrow, you could snap on the convertible two-seater sport body. And this weekend, snap on the pickup body so you can do some work around town.

All of this on a chassis that will be fuel-cell powered (hyddrogen) so that the only byproduct will be steam and water!!

Click Here to see GMs story about the Autonomy

Click here for the Popular Science article about the Autonomy

Whoami

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 01:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
OK, I think I need to step away from the computer and give my poor eyes a rest. I could have sworn at first glance the title of this thread said "Cats fueled by hydrogen." Don't worry, I blinked and saw correctly before I clicked into this thread. But, just to funny, and I had to share!

Calamity

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 01:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It is exciting to think about a future not dependent on oil (or at least much less dependent). It's not surprising though that as the reality of clean-fueled vehicles draws tantalizing closer, there are some now sounding the alarm against this development. There is concern that large quantities of steam exhaust in the atmosphere will drastically affect the environment - increased humidity and temperatures, foremost. That's certainly a possibility that we should be aware of but I can't help thinking, "Oh, now you're worried about global warming!". Do these folks get themselves all worked up about idling cars lined up bumper-to-bumper in fast food drive-thru lanes everyday?

Of course even non-polluting energy sources have their potential drawbacks. Some scientists predict that huge wind farms could actually change weather patterns. Nuclear power plants may have a fairly safe track record but has Chernobyl showed, if something does go wrong the consequences could be horrifying. And even oil isn't quite as bad as some forms of energy, such as burning wood and plants (which not only pollutes the air but wipes out vegetation necessary for converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, providing food & shelter for wildlife, and protecting topsoil).

Still it is frustrating to me that so many people hold alternative energy to a much higher standard than fossil fuels. They moan about the expense of research & implementation, and so on. But ask them about the toll that oil and coal put on the health of people & the planet or the cost of drilling/mining, clean-up, etc. and in response you'll either get an angry tirade that questions your political motivations or a patronizing lecture on how pathetically naive you are. When it comes to the subject of power sources, some people prefer to live in a Twilight Zone world where the use of solar power, wind energy, fuel cell batteries, geo-thermal heating/cooling, and cold fusion pose a greater threat to humankind than do exhaust pipes and smoke stacks belching out carcinogens and poison fumes. The lone exception to the cons' hatred of alternative energy is hydro-electric power. Since damming rivers often destroys fragile ecosystems and hurts struggling aquatic species, it's disturbing the zeal with which they embrace this method.

This became a rant, didn't it? Sorry...:(

Rissa

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 01:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
>>>This became a rant, didn't it?>>>

Yes, but (whether or not one agrees) a well-thought out, intelligent one. :)