May 20th, 2009
How dead are American hydrogen cars?
Has the dream of hydrogen-powered cars gone up in a puff of vapor? Has it evaporated? Was it all hot air? It was back in 2003 that the American President asked for over a billion dollars to make our auto fleet more hydrogen-powerful. Some hydro-advocates still think it can and should happen. But it was just this month that the newish American President, through his surrogates, withdrew lots of federal research dollars, partially deflating the hydrogen energy balloon.
Here’s the current Department of Energy webpage on hydrogen fuel cell cars. The publicly stated reason for backing off hydrogen fuel cells? It will take too long to deliver. And lack of infrastructure. It’s certainly easier right now to find an electric socket to recharge a plug-in car than to find a liquid hydrogen dispenser. Simpler to carry a long extension cord, than install a hydrogen generator in your car trunk.
Some manufacturers intend to continue to research and even try to sell H2 powered cars. Like Honda, which is making some fuel-cell cars in Indiana. Toyota and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council are also continuing their hydrogen-powered lobbying. They point out the Energy Secretary, Dr. Chu, did his research on biofuels. Even the corpse of General Motors has been testing hydrogen-powered cars in the real world, or at least in Berlin. So if they get adopted widely in Europe, they may make it to America eventually, like the Smart Car and new diesel.
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A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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