Honda to begin leasing Clarity hydrogen vehicles (next year)

[kach22i]

Honda to begin leasing Clarity hydrogen vehicles
http://www.halflifesource.com/news/2007/11/15/article10099.htm

The $600-a-month Clarity, based on the prototype FCX sports car Honda unveiled in 2006, will be offered in California to hopefully take advantage of a local network of hydrogen fueling stations being built across the state.

Pictures:
http://tophondanews.blogspot.com/2007/11/honda-fcx-clarity-serial-hydrogen.html


Test Drive report:
Preview: Jalopnik Drives the Honda FCX Clarity
http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-reviews/preview-jalopnik-drives-the-honda-fcx-clarity-323961.php

Official website:
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

[Porsche_monkey]

Does anyone actually believe this is a viable replacement for petroleum powered cars?

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by PBH

Does anyone actually believe this is a viable replacement for petroleum powered cars?

I don't even think Honda believes that this is a viable replacement - yet. This is more of a development program, which is why they are only leasing them.

I think its a cool idea, and am grateful for companies with deep pockets who are willing to take the risks necessary to "think outside of the box" on a large scale. I have to say though... that reviewer that kach posted seems to believe that wildfires in California are a product of global warming... perhaps he should stick to automotive journalism.

[legion]

Where does the hydrogen come from?

(When that is correctly answered...)

Where will the hydrogen come from to make this viable?

[frogger]

Mark my words, the automobile will never replace the horse-drawn carriage. Crazy new fangled ideas!

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by TheMentat

.. that reviewer that kach posted seems to believe that wildfires in California are a product of global warming... perhaps he should stick to automotive journalism.

Drought is one aspect of climate change.
http://drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html


Back on topic..............hydrogen production, it seems like Honda is saying we will cross that road when we have to.

68 mpg..................sounds good to me.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by legion

Where does the hydrogen come from?

(When that is correctly answered...)

Where will the hydrogen come from to make this viable?

A rather smug response (irony intended), but I'll bite.

Most people understand that, under current constraints, the energy required to make hydrogen ends up being produced via environmentally unfriendly means. Honda was pretty transparent on this issue. While they may be putting the horse in front of the cart in this case, the idea is that they develop what they know best, in anticipation of a later development of a clean hydrogen production method.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I demand "all or nothing" progress. if it's not going to solve the problem 100%, be 3x more efficient than the status quo and give me a tax break while teaching children morality, it's junk.

[legion]

Shawn, the problem with all of these "alternative" energy technologies is that they take more energy than they produce (net energy loss). They actually leave us MORE dependent on foreign oil, not less.

It really would be better just to burn the oil from the ME than to go through the elaborate charade of government subsidies that actually raises the price of oil (because more is being used in the name of oil independence).

To answer my first question: most commercial hydrogen comes from petroleum distillation.

To answer my second question: there is no answer. Producing hydrogen is a net energy loss. (If we could "find" it, that would be another thing). There is no viable source of hydrogen that would be better than just using the power source being used to produce the hydrogen.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

the first wheel had 5 sides.

[The Gaijin]

Hydrongen is a fuel of the future. But it will made by some kind of nuclear power, not from coal, gas or oil. Ethanol is a joke at least this has potential..

Who remembers the last "energy crisis". It hit just as the first EPA mandated pollution controls.

Honda had that CVCC or whatever it was called and ran to the front of the pack using technology and engineering.. The same era had the worst performing detroit cars ever..

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Nice to see our domestic automakers are still tinkering around with large gas-guzzling V8s.

1975 anyone?

[legion]

Which is more efficient at storing energy?

A battery, or hydrogen?

[Porsche_monkey]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

I demand "all or nothing" progress. if it's not going to solve the problem 100%, be 3x more efficient than the status quo and give me a tax break while teaching children morality, it's junk.

I guess this is sarcasm, sometimes it's hard to tell in writing, so my question is 'where is there a hint of realistic progress here?' I'm not saying there isn't any, I just don't see it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by PBH

I guess this is sarcasm, sometimes it's hard to tell in writing, so my question is 'where is there a hint of realistic progress here?' I'm not saying there isn't any, I just don't see it.

I'm not very good with smileys.

Just like in evolution, progress does not always yield positive results. Sometimes progress is just proving a negative. or yielding something that can't be used in the present, but provides a eureka moment down the road.

At the end of the day, the folks who are working toward solutions are heroes. the folks who continue to whine about the present state, and then whine about "progress," well...they contribute nothing to the situation.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by legion

Which is more efficient at storing energy?

A battery, or hydrogen?

Good question, I guess there are several other things to consider with it. It's like a 100 fold question.

[red-beard]

How do you get MPG for Hydrogen?

Does anyone here actually understand how dangerous is Hydrogen? UEL and LEL mean anything to anyone here? Hydrogen in gas form has to be the dumbest idea for a fuel, space shuttle included!

I expect one of our French friend's patents, or something similar, married with an electric car, will be the ultimate solution.

[Hugh R]

Unless hydrogen comes from nukes, it will be a non-starter.

[dhoward]

No More Nukes.

[red-beard]

Well, we just bought 34 metric tonnes of plutonium from Russia. Need to do something with it.