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Honda Throws Down the Gauntlet---Hydrogen Car is Here! - READ ONLY

26 messages,  Last post on Dec 31, 2007 at 7:55 AM

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What is this discussion about? Honda, Fuel System, Alternative Fuels, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 3

#17 of 26 Re: I don't care if Honda DOES... [Mr_Shiftright] by british_rover

May 22, 2007 (8:44 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (May 22, 2007 8:20 am)
I'd prefer Honda to develop it and then GM to copy and mass-produce it for Americans. I have no confidence in GM to invent new tech and stick with it long enough to get it right. Sorry but I don't. Shock absorbers, fine. Total new energy system---no. Twice burned, thrice learned or something like that.
 
 
I completly agree with you. Funny that 30 or 40 years ago it would have been a completly reversed situation though.
 
A US company would develop a new technology using vast resources to do it. The Japanese would reverse engineer it and figure out how to make it cheaper then better then the Americans.

#18 of 26 Re: I don't care if Honda DOES... [british_rover] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

May 22, 2007 (8:55 am)

Replying to: british_rover (May 22, 2007 8:44 am)
Everyone wonders what motivates the Japanese but I think I know...well at least I have my theory....
 
They looked back at the ruins of World War II and figured out that they lost not because of courage or a cruel ruthlessness (they had both in spades) but because their technology failed them.
 
I think this drives them to this day and they've channeled their militarism into a competitive spirit that is pretty difficult to beat right now.
 
But maybe it'll be their banking system that fails them this time...that's fairly scary these days. Maybe the auto world does belong to China and/or Malaysia. I dunno.
 
MrShiftright
Visiting Host

#19 of 26 Re: I don't care if Honda DOES... [Mr_Shiftright] by british_rover

May 22, 2007 (9:01 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (May 22, 2007 8:55 am)
That makes sense. How many Asian/Japanese financal crises have we had over the last 10-15 years.

#20 of 26 Hydrogen problems by texases

May 22, 2007 (10:35 am)

The continuing problem is where to get the hydrogen. People talk about an oil shortage - it's actually a hydrogen shortage. There are large volumes of heavy oil available in the world, but it takes lots of hydrogen to upgrade them to usable products, like gasoline. This has been a difficult problem for refiners to solve, just for the volumes required to upgrade oil. Now think about the huge volumes needed to fuel a fleet of cars. I hope a solution presents itself, but, like the flying car, I'm not betting on it in the next 10 year.

#21 of 26 Re: Honda Throws Down the Gauntlet---Hydrogen Car is Here! [Mr_Shiftright] by volvomax

May 22, 2007 (2:56 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (May 19, 2007 4:06 pm)
The difference between the fuel cell car and the electric car is that the fuel cell car has a future.
 
But,it isn't today.
This car is essentially a PR exercise and even Honda admits that it will be years before such a car is ready for mass production.

#22 of 26 Re: Honda Throws Down the Gauntlet---Hydrogen Car is Here! [volvomax] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

May 22, 2007 (5:30 pm)

Replying to: volvomax (May 22, 2007 2:56 pm)
Probably true what you say but they (Honda) are putting wheels down on the road, so I'm still impressed. At least it's a future I can walk up to and touch!
 
MrShifright
Visiting Host

#25 of 26 Re: Hydrogen problems [texases] by andys120

Dec 30, 2007 (10:41 am)

Replying to: texases (May 22, 2007 10:35 am)
The continuing problem is where to get the hydrogen
 
Absolutely, the H car has no future until there's an infrastructure to support it. Honda will only lease these to LA residents who live near the handful of fueling stations in the area. Do you know where your Hydrogen station is?
 
Then there's the problem of chemically separating the H from the elements it bonds with. So far that requires more energy than is contained in the Hydrogen.

#26 of 26 Re: Hydrogen problems [andys120] by tpe

Dec 31, 2007 (7:55 am)

Replying to: andys120 (Dec 30, 2007 10:41 am)
Absolutely, the H car has no future until there's an infrastructure to support it
 
Honda is currently working with partners on home refueling units. They already have prototypes but they are a little too big to be practical for home use. I think these home refueling station will be ready by the time fuel cell vehicles are affordable enough to be mass marketed. However I believe it will require that your home be connected to a natural gas source. I'm not sure if anyone is developing home refueling stations that use electrolysis for extracting the hydrogen.
 
Then there's the problem of chemically separating the H from the elements it bonds with. So far that requires more energy than is contained in the Hydrogen.
 
That's true but since you're now powering an electric motor, which is 90% efficient as opposed to an ICE, which is 30% efficient you still have a net gain or less of an energy loss, whichever way you want to look at it.

Messages Page 3 of 3

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