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shakran · 06-08-2009, 05:11 PM

Until we figure out a way to get pure hydrogen for less energy than we get out of the pure hydrogen, it's not really a viable solution. Currently hydrogen is cracked from (usually) methane molecules, and it takes more energy to do that than you get when you use the hydrogen. (Interestingly enough, the oil industry is pushing hydrogen, because methane has high profit margins, since it's expensive, but is easy and pretty cheap to extract from. . you guessed it. . .old oil wells. Make of that what you will). So I'm not holding my breath on the hydrogen thing until that major energy equation hurdle is overcome.

I know there would be (possibly insurmountable) issues with battery swaps, but if we could figure out how to make it a 5-10 minute process rather than a 3 hour charge wait time, electric cars would become useful for longer trips.

But whether we do that or not, they'd still be excellent for the daily commute, if only the initial price would come down. I would LOVE to have an electric car, but for 50 grand, I want more usability than an electric would give me.

I'm kinda keeping my eye on the Zap Alias. $35,000 with a 75mph top speed and a 100 mile range. If they make enough of them, perhaps the price will drop to something reasonable. I'd love to have that as my commuter car, saving the MR2 for road trips and car-guy weekends (though I imagine the Zap would get more attention on those weekends

)

Bottom line is that we are going to have to do something to drastically cut our fuel use - and by drastically I don't mean claim that 38mpg hybrids are impressive, and I don't mean claim that ethanol is the answer to our prayers.

We need to get local driving down to zero or near zero gasoline use, both by encouraging people to buy electric cars (why are there huge subsidies for the ethanol industry, and almost no help to get people to buy electric commuter vehicles?) (don't bother answering that, it's rhetorical, I know it's because of the corn lobby) and by massively upgrading our public transportation infrastructure. It is possible to go anywhere in DC quickly, safely, and efficiently by riding the Metro light rail system. Why are other cities, after seeing the success of the Metro, busy building 16 lane superhighways that still get clogged with traffic? We have to get rid of the stigma of public transportation (only poor people ride it) and we have to get rid of the idea that government paying for it is bad - after all government is also paying for those 16 lane freeways that would be unnecessary if more people were on efficient public transportation.

06-08-2009, 05:11 PM	#22 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	Until we figure out a way to get pure hydrogen for less energy than we get out of the pure hydrogen, it's not really a viable solution. Currently hydrogen is cracked from (usually) methane molecules, and it takes more energy to do that than you get when you use the hydrogen. (Interestingly enough, the oil industry is pushing hydrogen, because methane has high profit margins, since it's expensive, but is easy and pretty cheap to extract from. . you guessed it. . .old oil wells. Make of that what you will). So I'm not holding my breath on the hydrogen thing until that major energy equation hurdle is overcome. I know there would be (possibly insurmountable) issues with battery swaps, but if we could figure out how to make it a 5-10 minute process rather than a 3 hour charge wait time, electric cars would become useful for longer trips. But whether we do that or not, they'd still be excellent for the daily commute, if only the initial price would come down. I would LOVE to have an electric car, but for 50 grand, I want more usability than an electric would give me. I'm kinda keeping my eye on the Zap Alias. $35,000 with a 75mph top speed and a 100 mile range. If they make enough of them, perhaps the price will drop to something reasonable. I'd love to have that as my commuter car, saving the MR2 for road trips and car-guy weekends (though I imagine the Zap would get more attention on those weekends ) Bottom line is that we are going to have to do something to drastically cut our fuel use - and by drastically I don't mean claim that 38mpg hybrids are impressive, and I don't mean claim that ethanol is the answer to our prayers. We need to get local driving down to zero or near zero gasoline use, both by encouraging people to buy electric cars (why are there huge subsidies for the ethanol industry, and almost no help to get people to buy electric commuter vehicles?) (don't bother answering that, it's rhetorical, I know it's because of the corn lobby) and by massively upgrading our public transportation infrastructure. It is possible to go anywhere in DC quickly, safely, and efficiently by riding the Metro light rail system. Why are other cities, after seeing the success of the Metro, busy building 16 lane superhighways that still get clogged with traffic? We have to get rid of the stigma of public transportation (only poor people ride it) and we have to get rid of the idea that government paying for it is bad - after all government is also paying for those 16 lane freeways that would be unnecessary if more people were on efficient public transportation.