Commentary: The Days of the Hydrogen Car Are Already Over

Channel News Asia ^ | 02 Dec 2022 | Tom Stacey, Chris Ivory

[nickcarraway]

There is little sense in building infrastructure for hydrogen cars when demand is so low – yet demand will remain low unless supported with compatible infrastructure, say these researchers.

Hydrogen fuel cell cars emerged as an alternative to both the electric and combustion engine vehicle in the early 2000s.

They were widely considered an avenue towards universal green motoring. Powered through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, the only tailpipe emission they produce is water.

The technology also promised a traditional driving experience. Drivers can refuel at filling stations and the range of a hydrogen car is comparable to the combustion engine vehicle. Hydrogen vehicle technology also offered oil companies the opportunity to shift their operations towards the production and transportation of hydrogen and hydrogen refuelling at existing stations.

[algore]

Someone knows nothing about LOHC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_organic_hydrogen_carriers

[Organic Panic]

There was never “a day” for hydrogen cars.

[vpintheak]

Boy, you could pretty much use the same exact argument for these EV’s, huh?

Demand is low. No one wants them beyond the virtue signalers and those with enough money for a novelty rig.

[crusty old prospector]

Too volatile. Too small of a molecule.

[nickcarraway]

I always wanted a care made entirely out of hydrogen.

[ten18]

Unfortunately, a lot of people think hydrogen is actually a fuel, when it is merely an energy transfer medium that requires complex and expensive infrastructure on both ends of the process. I spent 30 years in the fleet industry and watched millions of taxpayer dollars get flushed on failed hydrogen transportation projects. It’s really pointless.

[glorgau]

> Someone knows nothing about LOHC

Hydrogenated oils aren’t healthy ;-)

[Chad C. Mulligan]

Ever see an explosion resulting from a hydrogen leak?

I have, and it was only “minor”. Lofted a 400 lb. retort cover 40 feet up until it hit the roof supports, and bent them about 6 inches. It missed the furnace operator when it came back down, thankfully.

If a neighbor started parking a hydrogen car in his garage, I’d sell up and move ASAP.

[KC Burke]

That is an insightful understanding that i had not considered.

[Dr. Sivana]

The article is disingenuous in part because its evidence that the hydrogen car's day is past is in part because only 12 were sold in the U.K.

The U.K.? One fifth the population, one tenth the money, a fraction of the cars as people in London take those double-decker buses and what not.

Toyota and Honda have a foot into Hydrogen cars because governments are mandating higher CAFE standards in the short-term and zero-emission cars in the long term.

So, the infrastructure (for vehicles that don't travel nationwide) can be localized. That works for Japan, an smallish island country. It can also work in the U.S. in regions like California, which has some infrastructure.

So yes, only 12 were sold in the U.K. but over 10,000 in the U.S. and 7,000 in Japan, with 2,500 sold last year. Not bad, considering the high price for a small car ($50K before incentives) and the lack of infrastructure outside of California. 400 mile range, MUCH faster refill time than a plug-in electric. 180 hp/300 lb. torque is decent for a small car. REAR WHEEL DRIVE.

Now, I don't see this going in every home, but I do appreciate that Toyota and Honda are coming up with alternatives to having everyone plug into an over-stressed grid.

There doesn't have to be one answer. The sad thing is that the answer won't come organically from businesses making stretegic fleet decisions and consumers picking EV or Hydrogen as a backup commuter car. The answer is skewed by government throwing incentives, disincentives and mandates hither and yon.

Toyota's business isn't avoiding the emission of CO2 or N2 or whatever it is that eco-nazis want to control. Their business is to make cars that people want to buy and will do the job well with fewer headaches than the competition. Their experts figured out that economics and physics don't allow the future to be all plug-in EV, regardless of mandates. This is one way to hedge bets in such an environment.

[Dr. Sivana]

FYI:

[algore]

https://www.ft.com/content/2bcee729-117a-4a31-b9c0-b1957f370cc8?shareType=nongift

Flying cars might work?

[algore]

That is pretty high volume compared to some of the cars I have owned.

Just yesterday I tried to get new engine and torque mounts for my weekly driver and find out no one makes them, but after lots of searching I was able to find a few nos sets in another country for $1000.

[AZJeep]

Yes! There is not pure Hydrogen anywhere on the Earth.
There is a lot of it on the Sun, but so far there is no way to get it from there.
On the Earth, Hydrogen is bonded in molecules, like water, carbohydrates, acids and bases.
In order to get Hydrogen, one has to manufacture it from these compounds. That requires energy. A lots of energy. More than one gets by using hydrogen in engine.
So hydrogen functions like a battery medium. Storing energy obtained by different methods.

[Dr. Sivana]

Just yesterday I tried to get new engine and torque mounts for my weekly driver and find out no one makes them, but after lots of searching I was able to find a few nos sets in another country for $1000.

What do you drive?

(I am glad that you found the NOS set. Sometimes the fan community can provide alternatives for those who don't need all original. For instance, I had a 1965 Chrysler 300, an unloved car outside of the demo derby circuit [OUCH], but someone made an adapter that would allow the use of Dodge Ram Truck motor mounts on the 383ci or 413ci engines. It worked fine.)

[algore]

Hopefully you never have to find replacement pushbuttons :)

[Dr. Sivana]

Hopefully you never have to find replacement pushbuttons :)

The push-buttons were gone in '65, just a nice three-speed Torqueflight auto tansmission.

Someone DID make an injection mold for the piece of plastic that turns off the turn signal after the turn is made. '60s cars are great, but the plastic parts get way too brittle.

[Dr. Sivana]

I should have mentioned column shift.

[familyop]

Look at what Toyota is doing with hydrogen cars.

The climate change talk is only cover for worries about declining resources with a growing population and billions more people wanting to drive cars. Sounding the alarm about those declining resources would instigate panic and more fighting. Oil will be obtainable in the near future, but it will be much more expensive to extract. Nations are preparing to fight each other much harder for it. Some are already fighting in a high intensity conflict, which struggle might become even more large and intensive.