"Ya, ve're going to call it da 'Hindenberg'">
Posted on 01/04/2005 3:23:10 PM PST by bruinbirdman
In what the company has called a "bold experiment," Hummer has prepared a hydrogen-powered version of its H2 SUT (sport utility truck), the H2H. The vehicle is not intended for production, and a Hummer spokesperson said yesterday in a phone interview that the company will not divulge the prototype's development cost.
Hummer's parent, General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), owns the H2H and shares it with the office of the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. In a recent statement, Schwarzenegger said that the purpose of the prototype is to "demonstrate the economic and technical viability of hydrogen." He had said during his gubernatorial campaign that he was interested in alternative fuels and one day would go so far as to own a hydrogen-powered Hummer.
California is making a pioneering effort with its Hydrogen Highway Network, an initiative that combines the efforts of industry and government to develop the state's infrastructure, research and market for hydrogen cars. Hummer, a maker of the some of the most fuel-inefficient and wasteful automobiles in the world, presumably wanted a part in this venture because Schwarzenegger already likes the brand's cars, and because the company is trying to change its image.
The H2H puts lipstick on the pig by turning a vehicle whose urban fuel economy is about 10 miles per gallon (filling the tank routinely costs over $50) into a futuristic, alternatively-fueled car whose main tailpipe emission is water vapor. Hummer has engineered the H2H to use a supercharged version of the regular truck's 6.0-liter V-8 engine. . . .
The Rrrrrrrrrrest of the story
I hear that properly packaged it makes a nice bomb.
May I be the first to suggest that this Hummer pull its own small nuclear plant and a tank of seawater from which to extract hydrogen--then it can avoid being tied to the so readily available hydrogen filling stations--
I saw an interview with an author on tv a couple of weeks ago, and whenever I hear about "alternate fuel" type of vehicles, I'm reminded of it.
The author, don't know his name, was talking about enviro-conscience celebs and how unwittingly hypocritical they are. For example, he talked about Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow doing a PSA about carpooling or using public transportation to cut down on gasolene use and pollution. He pointed out that they use far more fuels and create far more pollution with all the privately driven vehicles and chartered planes they use. He also talked about the irony of celebs driving hybrid cars but then chartering planes all over the place and being picked up in limos.
I wonder what the impact on the humidity of a location would be if all cars were belching steam.
"---ahhh--another thrilling hydrogen vehicle thread."
Yup! No economic benefit, no energy savings, no ecological benifit. Just move the problem to somebody else's back yard. A PR stunt and probably a sink for taxpayer subsidy someplace.
A hybrid Hummer would be something else, though. Properly engineered, that 6.0L V8 could probably generate about 0.2 Megawatts, enough to light every thing on my cul-de-sac in a major power outage, and enough to bootstrap the nearest gas station as well!
"I wonder what the impact on the humidity of a location would be if all cars were belching steam."
Not much. Hydrocarbon fuel produces H20 and C02. Straight hydrogen just replaces the CO2 with more H2O.
"Ya, ve're going to call it da 'Hindenberg'">
What's this? "Hydrogen currently costs $4 to $10 per kilogram, the unit in which it is measured, and the H2H's fuel tank holds five to six kg of hydrogen. GM believes that if hydrogen is to be commercially viable it must cost $2 to $2.25 per kg--that is, it must be competitive with gasoline prices.
GM does not allow Schwarzenegger to use the "Self-Serve" lane at the hydrogen station. The company fills the tank itself, keeps the vehicle in Lake Forest, Calif. (near its engineering facilities and Quantum's offices) and requires that a GM engineer ride in the car at all times."
What's $10/kg to save the world from capitalism. Ooops, what did Mt. St. Helens have to say about pollution?
yitbos, bbm
Looks like the girlyman Arnold spends about as much as the liberals.
I'm sure the deep south will just love these things!
yitbos, bbm
--I neglected the obvious-the Hummer is big enough to have its own windmill-
I understand that the GM folks are working on a custom Hummer built to Ah-nold's personal specifications. It has rhino upholstery, runs on hot air, and will only turn to the left.
Actually, they already do. The two main products from combustion of 2,2,4 trimethylpentane (main ingredient of gasoline) is CO2 and H2O.
>I wonder what the impact on the humidity of a location would be if all cars were belching steam.<
better than belching benzo-A-pyrene, which is what every petroleum based burner belches. oh, you forgot BaP is the number one cause of cancer.
Interesting that it's GM and 'maybe we can make a hydro car" at it again. Some of you remember my post of years back about the 62' Tornado driving around Bloomfield Hills by the head of GM Tech. Dad had pointed it out to me after he had spoken to him at the gas station ...he was cleaning his windows. I said "Dad this guy is driving a bomb lets lay back a few blocks shall we!" Dad pointed out that it didn't store hydrogen, it made it on the fly. Something about dripping hydrogen peroxide into a Nalgene beaker of hydrogen and off went the gas straight to the injectors. Anyway guy bragged that it only needed a "fill up" every three months.
Another idea filed in the infamous circular file.
that should read
into a beaker of hydrochloric acid. Or some acid, it's been 40 years....
hold on honey, I'm just tieing by shoe ...I'll be with you in 40 years.
jeeeeze
Sometimes RINOs are helpful. Like getting elected.
Could Duke Cunningham, Dana Rohrabacher, or Duncan Hunter pulled it off?
. I'll take Ahnold because B-1 Bob Dornan lost to Loretta (I am only Sanchez because it has a minority connotation, and socialists can't get elected any other way) Sanchez.
B-1 where are you? Eh, let the illegals have Santa Ana and Garden Grove. We live in the real OC.
yitbos
Didn't X42, Damian, get a hummer?
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