That obscurity could end this summer, though, when hydrogen cars and shuttle buses built in Japan will be showcased at the Tokyo Olympics. One reason motorists may not notice the hydrogen cars in their midst is that hydrogen-fueled Toyotas, Hondas and Hyundais don’t look much different from other sedans. It’s nearly impossible to fuel up a hydrogen car at home, so a broad network of stations is critical to wider adoption, experts say. The cars are not easy to find, nor are the fueling stations: California has only 44 such stations, mainly in populous cities. There may be nearly 8,000 hydrogen cars on California roads, but that’s a microscopic number amid the state’s 35 million registered vehicles. The challenge for the automotive industry is overcoming basic market forces. Hydrogen-fueled trucks are lighter, which translates into efficiency for long-haul drivers.Įckerle said the dozen or so state programs encourage hydrogen technology to increase consumer choice - “seed-planting.” This investment will soon be eclipsed by that of private companies, he added. And more than a decade of testing hydrogen engines in transit bus fleets has produced results that surpassed projections, exceeding time without major repairs or replacement needed as compared to diesel engines. space program has long used hydrogen as rocket fuel. More than 26,000 hydrogen-powered forklifts are whirring around warehouses today, for example. Hydrogen as a transportation fuel has many applications. You are starting to see a sea change, as we get more aggressive about meeting our zero-carbon goals,” said Tyson Eckerle, deputy director of zero-emission infrastructure in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. A comparable hydrogen bus is more like $1 million. The technology remains expensive and hasn’t gained wide traction, ceding the green-transportation crown to battery-powered electric vehicles, which are more widely available and support an ever-growing recharging network.īut with successful pilot projects using hydrogen buses and freight trucks, and car manufacturers preparing to expand model options in the tiny consumer car market, proponents say this may be the year when the “fuel of the future” finally arrives. That revolution, part of the battle against climate change, never materialized. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered preparations for a traffic jam of zero-emission, hydrogen-fueled cars, buses and trucks. But proponents say this may be the year when the “fuel of the future” finally arrives.Ĭalifornia has been dreaming of a clean, modern hydrogen highway since 2004, when former Gov. Climate-friendly hydrogen-powered cars haven’t taken off.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |