I know it's a long way off, but the real beauty of developing an efficient H2 fuel cell based car is that it would allow people to go "off grid" in terms of producing their own fuel. There are so many possibilities for producing energy... solar, wind, ocean wave action, hydro, bio fuels, etc. etc. but virtually no extremely efficient ways to store the energy produced until needed. Folks are working on phase change materials, improved battery technology, storing heat, you name it; but none will achieve the efficiency of simply producing H2 and sticking it in a tank to use when needed. That is why we are stuck with fossil fuels and their very nasty producing countries and pollution problems.
H2 is a near perfectly efficient energy storage and delivery system, and when used in a fuel cell, produces absolutely no pollution or CO2, just water. This may be a publicity stunt for Honda, but it could change the world if we could all use our own skills, resources and entrepreneurial spirit to produce our own clean, near 100% efficient fuel. Virtually anything that can be powered by fossil fuels, electricity or a battery could conceivably be powered by a H2 fuel cell.

 

I am not impressed what so ever with the fuel cell hype. Honda might as well have rolled out a vehicle powered by anti-matter. GM has had their useless roller skate chassis for years now.
If they ever figure out a way to mass produce hydrogen (That's a BIG if) then it will be better than sliced bread.

We have so many other power sources to choose from, the latest I've heard about is mass methane production. I'd like to see more companies taking advantage of the many alternative power sources available today.

No need to wait 10 years, 20 or 30 years (or more) for the fabled hydrogen production to become reality.
I'm actually very optimistic about the automotive future, especially as it begins to separate toward alternative sources. But I'm pretty sure hydrogen won't be a part of it, except for spending trillions collectively on a handful of vehicles that practically nobody can use. Rumours suggest the U.S. government is studying flying saucers at hanger 51. Perhaps they should spend billion$ developing an auto around that.

I can see this marked down in the proverbial future "book" as the most expensive automotive blunders.

Kind of like the Edsel is today, except far more expensive.


I remember back in the 1960's that we'd be traveling via flying cars by now. Kind of like that.

-Steve

 

You don't necessarily need to 'mass produce' H2. All you have to do is produce enough of it for the fuel cell to work effectively. And an on-board reformer, using any number of feedstocks (Methane, Methanol, Ethanol, and even gasoline), and you've got it. The trick is packaging and control, along with having it 'hardened' to work in all sorts of climates.

Fuel cells, even in the current guise, when coupled with efficient motors and controls are considerably more energy efficient than even the best of the current ICE-based hybrids, which are constrained by the innate ICE efficiency. With decent reformer efficiency, you're looking at > 50% conversion rate (available chemical energy converted to useful work), contrasted with the best of the current systems doing it in the 30% range.

 

Truly a fuel cell is much more efficient than any alternative, and a car so equipped will need refueling. And thus the reason for mass production.
It's just another of the many obstacles to the technology.

I'm all for R&D of alternative fuels including hydrogen, but I believe the marketing is hyped for a car which may come decades down the road, if ever.

It may be the car they can't deliver, like the Tucker (But for different reasons)

 

To clarify: With an on-board reformer, the H2 is generated from a source fuel like methane, methanol, ethanol, propane, or gasoline, on demand. Refueling such a vehicle is via the 'normal' procedure for the fuel. The exhaust of such a vehicle will have CO2, but will not have CO, NOx, or HC emissions, as the reformer does not have the same temps and chemical reaction conditions an ICE has. The issues to be engineered are packaging, efficiency, responsiveness, and cost. The heat produced by the reformer could be used to improve the efficiency of the system by running a heat engine (like a Sterling cycle) to generate electricity, or, in a domestic setting, to heat space or water.

In all these implementation, the primary motive power is supplied by electric motors, with a storage battery (LION or NImh) acting as a 'moderator' to even out power demands from the fuel cell system.

 

At this point, that is not true. In fact, fuel cells are worse than anything.

I attended a presentation by a fuel cell development company (who is doing work for Honda) and their representatives (without prompting or anything) openly admitted that of one looks at the overall pollution, the fuel cell technology is a real problem as the creation of the fuel cells is an issue.

This reminds me of one of those dopey ads for a cooler that uses little energy. You freeze some material then put it in the unit. sure it uses little energy - your freezer uses it all.

Fuel cells have a possibly strong future but at this point, they are still experimental or impractical as are so many other alternative sources or moving cars around.