NICOLAAA!!!
Posted on 05/04/2018 2:27:16 PM PDT by BBell
In this instance the Nikola semi trucks are electric, they have electric hub motors on all six sets of wheels.
Hydrogen is not “renewable energy”. It must be manufactured using other energy sources, i.e. non-renewable ones. All it does is put on a show of being “green” for those who don’t know any better.
“Renewable energy.” Hydrogen? Do those little hydrogen molecules just jump out of the air or out of the methane and hop into a 4,500 psi tank with zero energy input?
I was wondering how much coal-produced electricity it takes to produce the hydrogen.
Surprised it’s not powered by Budweiser’s crappy beer.
Electric like locomotives. I guess I should nave clarified battery electric.
WTF? How big are the hydrogen tanks on these trucks? The size of the moon? How can you possibly go any long distance on hydrogen?
Takes a lot of electricity to make hydrogen. You can do it yourself.
Get a short glass of water. Toss a 9 volt battery into it. See the bubbles ? On one side is Oxygen and the other is Hydrogen.
But not a lot of it.
Toyota started this project, but seemed to kill it. They were putting the electrolysis plates onboard and just adding water and an onboard electrical source.
I’m sure that by the laws of transduction it wasn’t great, but this would solve the whole “Wait 10 years for you to install billions of dollars of stations” thing.
It takes at least as much electricity to produce hydrogen as it yields by burning it. But nothing is 100% efficient, so I would guess it takes about twice as much.
NICOLAAA!!!
Using solar energy to produce hydrogen might be a good idea. The hydrogen stores the sun’s energy.
My main concern is the explosiveness of hydrogen.
Also I don’t know the economics. But it’s clean.
Except when it’s burned with air (its oxygen) there might be harmful by products produced by other components in the air.
“How big are the hydrogen tanks on these trucks? The size of the moon? “
Made in Utah.
https://nikolamotor.com/two#motor-specs-bottom
But the hydrogen thing will kill it. I’m sure AB has a clause about that.
Nikola has privately funded a small network covering only 2,000 miles with 16 stations.
https://nikolamotor.com/stations
And who wants to see a wreck with 1,000 pounds of H2 involved? Didn’t the Hindenburg have one of those?
Virtually all hydrogen is manufactured via steam-methane reforming. In other words, it’s made from natural gas.
2 H20 + CH4 —> 4 H2 + CO2
An onboard electrical source. That means either 1) a fuel cell, 2) a battery, 3) an engine/generator system, or 4) a Mr. Fusion reactor.
What would be the point of that?
1) have the fuel cell output power the motors directly. You still need non-Renewable energy somewhere to make fuel to power the fuel cell.
2) like #1, just have the battery power the motors. You still need external non-Renewable energy sources to charge the battery.
3) you need diesel or gasoline to run the engine. Have the generator power the motors directly.
4) Obviously this is the only practical solution.
I like the Clydesdales better.
From water? Electrolysis? The last numbers I read were eight (8) units in, one (1) unit out. Maybe the efficiency has increased.
Excess solar, fine. Excess or off-peak hydro? Sure.
Hydrocarbons are the most economical source from which to extract hydrogen.
That’s science fair stuff.
95% of all commercial hydrogen production is done by steam reforming of natural gas, or oil, or gasification of coal. Less than 5% is from electrolysis.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.