To: LibertarianInExile
There are several methods for making fuel cells. Including the manufacture needed for hydrogen, fuel cells will run almost the same price as gasoline production and the cost will be expected to fall after massive market deployment. This is according to testomony given to Congress. I haven't read anything since last year on this issue.
I think that it will all depend on what is used for the fuel type. Some of the vehicles have used hydrogen (at various pressures), liquid hydrogen, methanol, and metal hydride.
Here is a chart in PDF format of some of the things going on in the fuel cell vehicle arena.
8 posted on
02/26/2003 8:05:57 AM PST by
zx2dragon
To: zx2dragon
I understand, again, that the price for the engine will be the same, and the costs of all hydrogen-related stuff would fall if we got economies of scale working for hydrogen and hydrogen-powered engines. What I don't understand is, other than the environmental plus, why we'd want to do this, or subsidize it. This would be true of electric cars, too, and subways, and buses, but I don't want to have to use any of those things, either, and I don't want the government doing anything to build or help their systems take root, either. That's not what I pay taxes for.
I haven't heard anyone tell me why we don't want to go more and more hybridized, which would mean less screwing around with the current distribution system. Hydrogen would mean natural-gas-like distribution, maybe even centralized distribution, of fuel.
It would require each gas station to dispense differently, too. Ever filled a propane tank? It's a lot different than driving to the gas pump.
I can't say I don't like the idea of a better environment--I'm just not sure why hydrogen is better than hybrids or why the Dept O'Energy wants us to do it so much. And if it costs us more energy to produce than gas, maybe it's not so environmentally friendly.
12 posted on
02/26/2003 8:20:03 AM PST by
LibertarianInExile
(Wormtongue had nothing on David Bonior.)
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