April 1st, 2008
California and non-gasoline autos--was all that hydrogen talk just hot air?
Tesla. Picture by CNET.. How many of these babies you see on the streets?
Judging from the numerous comments on the recent California political ruling and its likely effects on the availability of electric cars, it’s worth looking closer at that decision’s effects.
First, that ruling reduced the number of zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) required to be sold in California. There was never any doubt that those ZEVs would get bought if they were made and sold. The arguments were all about what such a compulsion would do to the auto industry, of course. It wasn’t just plug-in all electric vehicles that took a hit, so did hydrogen fuel cell tech.
Hydrogen’s Hope?
The problem with hydrogen as fuel? No delivery system exists in California, and apparently nobody’s done much yet. Plug-ins? Most carports or garages have electric sockets already. However, just as hydrogen fuel cells were getting dissed by the state air dukes, there was some positive action. A greentech firm has signed a contracy to help Shell dispense hydrogen at current service stations. The modular hydrogen dispenser is going to be provided by Quantum. They are also partnering on the Fisker, a plug-in electric vehicle. So Quantum is betting its future on the painful death of the current gas-guzzlers.
The flip side of the ruling by the California Air Resources Board? A demand for more plug-in hybrid electrics, that use fossil fuel and/or electricity. A plug-in Prius essentially.
California is demanding almost 60,000 of them on streets and roads of that state by end of 2010. Sounds like a deadline and implied good sales for GM’s Chevy Volt and Saturn Vue, and the plug-in Prius promised by Toyota.
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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