GM plans major test of fuel-cell cars in Asia

[Real World]

We're getting closer people. GM has invested Billions in hydrogen technology. You could almost say they've mortgaged their future on it. Let's hope it proves worth while.


Equinox fuel Cell

GM plans major test of fuel-cell cars in Asia

The Yomiuri Shimbun

General Motors Corp. unveiled Thursday its plan to conduct a large-scale test of fuel-cell vehicles in Asia--including in Japan--as well as in Europe and North America.

The tests will be the largest ever for an automaker, with the company planning to test anywhere from a couple of dozen vehicles to as many as 100 in each area.

Fuel-cell cars are said to be the ultimate low-emission automobiles, as they emit only water vapor after using electricity created by a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. However, several technical problems remain such as the time they take to recharge and the short distances cars are able to travel before they need to be recharged.

Competition is growing among major automakers hoping to put the vehicles into practical use. GM hopes to maximize the amount of data it can collect in a short period by conducting large-scale tests, thus minimizing development time for the product.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business...12TDY08006.htm

[BelichickFan]

As soon as these things are at a reasonable price and reasonable performance (I'd probably pay 20% more and take a 20% performance hit), I'm there. I'll laugh my ass off if I'm still alive when the only product the middle east produces is no longer needed. Ha ha ha.

I don't get the recharge problem, though, I thought that's what alternators did ?

[Pujo]

Originally Posted by BelichickFan

As soon as these things are at a reasonable price and reasonable performance (I'd probably pay 20% more and take a 20% performance hit), I'm there. I'll laugh my ass off if I'm still alive when the only product the middle east produces is no longer needed. Ha ha ha.

I don't get the recharge problem, though, I thought that's what alternators did ?

I assume recharge means the time it takes to fill the fuel cell with hydrogen.

[BelichickFan]

Originally Posted by Pujo

I assume recharge means the time it takes to fill the fuel cell with hydrogen.

OK. Get it fixed so I can buy one of these babies

[Real World]

I'm a real fan of this technology for countless reasons. A mass move to fuel cells would shut Al Gore up (my way of saying environmentally safe), would flash a giant middle finger at the Middle East , would render Big Oil insignificant to mainstream America, and would help make us self sufficient with respect to energy.

[Harry Boy]

I wish I could live to see the day those f-cking Kings & Sheiks get it stuck up their a$s.

What will our politicians and movie stars do that have stocks in "OIL"

Tub Of Sh!t Michael Moore has stock in Haliburton

[wistahpatsfan]

Originally Posted by Harry Boy

I wish I could live to see the day those f-cking Kings & Sheiks get it stuck up their a$s.

What will our politicians and movie stars do that have stocks in "OIL"

Tub Of Sh!t Michael Moore has stock in Haliburton

Exactly why it will be difficult. Can't wait for the "hydrogen bomb!" scare messages.

[Real World]

Originally Posted by wistahpatsfan

Exactly why it will be difficult. Can't wait for the "hydrogen bomb!" scare messages.

You KNOW those are coming too. To me, I'll here what naysayers offer up. There could be valuable points to their position. However, in reading about the fuel cells as I have, the "explosion" problems are innacurate is it is a different process that is used. I know in Italy, they have cars that run on propane, and others that run on natural gas. My friends dad has a natural gas fueled BMW m3. He opened up his trunk and showed me how it was set up, and basically, it had what looked like a BBQ tank hooked up behind the rear passenger seats. He told me how it cost him 25% of what gasoline fueled vehicle would. Anyhow, driving in it, it felt just like a car. The only problem was he told me, that there had been accidents where cars did explode, and those inside the vehicles were burned to a crisp. Yikes! It's why I pay attention to the dangers of hydrogen, which to this point, have proven to be ordinary.

[Pujo]

I certainly wouldn't worry about explosions of a nuclear nature (as in an uncontroled nuclear fusion reaction, which is what happens in a hydrogen bomb), but a conventional explosion still wouldn't be pretty where hydrogen is involved.

Energy in hydrogen fuel cells is chemical energy (energy released by joining or seperating atoms). A hydrogen bomb's energy is nuclear (energy released by joining or seperating the constituent parts of an atom's nucleus - protons and neutrons). They have nothing to do with each other. But if you've ever done the upside-down-beaker-glowing-splint experiment in school, you know just how explosive even a small bit of hydrogen can be, and how little energy it takes to combust. I'm a fan of new technology, but I also know safety doesn't matter in America until after the first accident. Accordingly, I won't be an early adopter of hydrogen cars.

[Real World]

Originally Posted by Pujo

I certainly wouldn't worry about explosions of a nuclear nature (as in an uncontroled nuclear fusion reaction, which is what happens in a hydrogen bomb), but a conventional explosion still wouldn't be pretty where hydrogen is involved.

Energy in hydrogen fuel cells is chemical energy (energy released by joining or seperating atoms). A hydrogen bomb's energy is nuclear (energy released by joining or seperating the constituent parts of an atom's nucleus - protons and neutrons). They have nothing to do with each other. But if you've ever done the upside-down-beaker-glowing-splint experiment in school, you know just how explosive even a small bit of hydrogen can be, and how little energy it takes to combust. I'm a fan of new technology, but I also know safety doesn't matter in America until after the first accident. Accordingly, I won't be an early adopter of hydrogen cars.

Safety doesn't matter in America? Huh? What America are you talking about? South America?