Sequel, a fuel cell-powered vehicle from General Motors

Filler neck for hydrogen of a BMW, Museum Autovision, Altlußheim, Germany

Tank for liquid hydrogen of Linde, Museum Autovision, Altlußheim, Germany

A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its on-board fuel for motive power. The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion, or electrochemical conversion in a fuel-cell: Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 645 KB)The Evolution, a General Motors fuel cell-powered vehicle. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 645 KB)The Evolution, a General Motors fuel cell-powered vehicle. ... 2005 GM Sequel Concept The Sequel is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered concept car and sport utility vehicle from General Motors. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is a multinational corporation headquartered in the United States and has been the worlds largest and most dominant automaker since 1931 till the second half of 2007, surpassed by Toyota; as well as the global industry sales leader for 77 years. ... For other uses, see BMW (disambiguation). ... Altlußheim is a municipality in Baden-Württemberg and belongs to Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. ... Linde Logo The Linde Group (previously known as Linde AG) is an international company with three principal activity areas: industrial gases, plant engineering, and materials handling, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany. ... Altlußheim is a municipality in Baden-Württemberg and belongs to Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. ... The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Automobiles are among the most commonly used engine powered vehicles. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... Car redirects here. ... Flying machine redirects here. ... This article is about the chemical reaction combustion. ... Methanol fuel cell. ...

• In combustion, the hydrogen is burned in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional gasoline (petrol) cars.
• In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity, the latter of which is used to power an electric traction motor.

The molecular hydrogen needed as an on-board fuel for hydrogen vehicles can be obtained through many thermochemical methods utilizing natural gas, coal (by a process known as coal gasification), liquefied petroleum gas, biomass (biomass gasification), by a process called thermolysis, or as a microbial waste product called biohydrogen or Biological hydrogen production. Hydrogen can also be produced from water by electrolysis. If the electricity used for the electrolysis is produced using renewable energy, the production of the hydrogen would (in principle) result in no net carbon dioxide emissions. On-board decomposition to produce hydrogen can occur when a catalyst is used. Petrol redirects here. ... For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal is a fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... 45 kg LPG cylinders Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, LP Gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. ... For the use of the term in ecology, see Biomass (ecology). ... Biomass gasification, a century old technology, is viewed today as an alternative to conventional fuel. ... Thermolysis (from thermo- meaning heat and -lysis meaning break down) is a chemical process by which a substance is decomposed into other substances by use of heat. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ... An Algae farm. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them. ... Renewable energy effectively utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. ... Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: ) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ...

Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not an energy source, so the energy the car uses would ultimately need to be provided by a conventional power plant. A suggested benefit of large-scale deployment of hydrogen vehicles is that it could lead to decreased emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone precursors.^[1] Further, the conversion of fossil fuels would be moved from the vehicle, as in today's automobiles, to centralized power plants in which the byproducts of combustion or gasification may be better controlled than at the tailpipe. However, there are both technical and economic challenges to implementing wide-scale use of hydrogen vehicles, as well as less expensive alternatives. The timeframe in which challenges may be overcome is likely to be at least several decades, and hydrogen vehicles may never become broadly available.^[2][3] For mobile applications, hydrogen has been called "one of the least efficient, most expensive ways to reduce greenhouse gases".^[4] An energy carrier is simply any system or substance used to transfer energy from somewhere to somewhere else. ... Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide abundant and accessible energy through knowledge, skills, and constructions. ...

Research and prototypes

Hydrogen powered Ford Focus

Hydrogen does not come as a pre-existing source of energy like fossil fuels, but rather as a carrier, much like a battery. It can be made from both renewable and non-renewable energy sources. The common internal combustion engine, usually fueled with gasoline (petrol) or diesel liquids, can be converted to run on gaseous hydrogen. However, the more energy efficient use of hydrogen involves the use of fuel cells and electric motors. Hydrogen reacts with oxygen inside the fuel cells, which produces electricity to power the motors. A primary area of research is hydrogen storage, to try to increase the range of hydrogen vehicles, while reducing the weight, energy consumption, and complexity of the storage systems. Two primary methods of storage are metal hydrides and compression. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3488 × 2616 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3488 × 2616 pixel, file size: 2. ... The Ford Focus is a small family car made by Ford and sold in most Ford markets worldwide. ... Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the earth’s crust. ... For other uses, see Battery. ... A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... For other kinds of motors, see motor. ... Electricity (from New Latin ēlectricus, amberlike) is a general term for a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. ... Hydrogen storage is the main technological problem of a viable hydrogen economy. ...

A potential advantage of hydrogen is that it could be produced and consumed continuously, using solar, water, wind and nuclear power for electrolysis. Currently, however, hydrogen vehicles utilizing hydrogen produce more pollution than vehicles consuming gasoline, diesel, or methane in a modern internal combustion engine, and far more than plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.^[5][2] This is because, although hydrogen fuel cells generate no CO₂, production of the hydrogen creates additional emissions.^[6] While methods of hydrogen production that do not use fossil fuel would be more sustainable,^[7] currently such production is not economically feasible, and diversion of renewable energy (which represents only 2% of energy generated) to the production of hydrogen for transportation applications is inadvisable.^[2] Solar power describes a number of methods of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. ... Hydropower (or waterpower) harnesses the energy of moving or falling water. ... An example of a wind turbine. ... This article is about applications of nuclear fission reactors as power sources. ... In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them. ... Petrol redirects here. ... This article is about the fuel. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . ... A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... The number of US survey respondents willing to pay $4,000 more for a plug-in hybrid car increased from 17% in 2005 to 26% in 2006. ...

The recorded number of hydrogen-powered public vehicles in the United States was 200 as of April 2007, mostly in California,^[8] and a significant amount of research is underway to try to make the technology viable. GM has announced that it plans to introduce more than 100 hydrogen powered Chevrolet Equinox cars into the U.S. market beginning with the third quarter of 2007.^[9] However, Ballard Power Systems, a leading developer of hydrogen vehicle technology pulled out of the Hydrogen vehicle business in late 2007. Research Capital analyst Jon Hykawy concluded that Ballard saw the industry going nowhere and said: "In my view, the hydrogen car was never alive. The problem was never could you build a fuel cell that would consume hydrogen, produce electricity, and fit in a car. The problem was always, can you make hydrogen fuel at a price point that makes any sense to anybody. And the answer to that to date has been no."^[10] Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD, NASDAQ: BLDP), located in Burnaby, British Columbia -- a suburb of Vancouver -- is a company that designs, develops, and manufactures zero emission proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. ...

The current land speed record for a hydrogen powered vehicle is 207.279 mph set by a prototype Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 Fuel Cell Race Car at Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah on August 16, 2007.^[11]

High-speed cars, buses, bicycles, cargo bikes, golf carts, motorcycles, wheelchairs, ships, airplanes, submarines and rockets already can run on hydrogen, in various forms at great expense. NASA uses hydrogen to launch Space Shuttles into space. There is even a working toy model car that runs on solar power, using a reversible fuel cell to store energy in the form of hydrogen and oxygen gas. It can then convert the fuel back into water to release the solar energy.^[12] Autobus redirects here. ... The PHB is a hydrogen bicycle, power-assisted by an electric motor that gets its electricity from a fuel cell. ... env is a shell utility for Unix-like operating systems (including Linux). ... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as aeroplanes in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada) or airplanes in North American English. ... For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... By nature, all fuel cells - which are devices meant to convert chemical energy into electrical energy - can also be operated backwards. ... This article is about the chemical element and its most stable form, or dioxygen. ...

Hydrogen fuel difficulties

For more details on this topic, see Fuel cell.

While fuel cells themselves are potentially highly energy efficient, and working prototypes were made by Roger E. Billings in the 1960s, at least four technical obstacles and other political considerations exist regarding the development and use of a fuel cell-powered hydrogen car. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ... Roger E. Billings grew up in Provo, Utah and was born in 1948. ...

Fuel cell cost

Currently, hydrogen fuel cells are costly to produce and fragile. Engineers are studying how to produce inexpensive fuel cells that are robust enough to survive the bumps and vibrations that all automobiles experience. Also, many designs require rare substances such as platinum as a catalyst in order to work properly. Such a catalyst can also become contaminated by impurities in the hydrogen supply. In the past few years, however, a nickel-tin catalyst has been under development which may lower the cost of cells.^[13] Fuel cells are generally priced in USD/kW, and data is scarce regarding costs. Producer Ballard is virtually alone in publishing such data. Their 2005 figure was $73 USD/kW (based on high volume manufacturing estimates), which they said was on track to achieve the U.S. DoE's 2010 goal of $30 USD/kW. This would achieve closer parity with internal combustion engines for automotive applications, allowing a 100 kW fuel cell to be produced for $3000. 100 kW is about 134 hp.^[14] Oscillation is the variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. ... General Name, Symbol, Number platinum, Pt, 78 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 6, d Appearance grayish white Standard atomic weight 195. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Catalysis. ... For other uses, see Nickel (disambiguation). ... This article is about the metallic chemical element. ... This article is about a unit of measurement. ...

Freezing conditions

Freezing conditions are a major consideration because fuel cells produce water and utilize moist air with varying water content. Most fuel cell designs are fragile and cannot survive in such environments at startup but since heat is a byproduct of the fuel cell process, the major concern is startup capability. Ballard announced that it has already hit the U.S. DoE's 2010 target for cold weather starting which was 50% power achieved in 30 seconds at -20 °C.^[15] Although this is a good step, there still has to be many more improvements in that area for fuel cells to be strong enough to hold up to hard weather. Jackob Anderson estimates that 75% power should be generated within 25 seconds of startup at -15 °C.^[16]

Service life

Although service life is coupled to cost, fuel cells have to be compared to existing machines with a service life in excess of 5000 hours^[17] for stationary and light-duty. Marine PEM fuel cells reached the target in 2004^[18] Research is going on especially for heavy duty like in the bus trails which are targeted up to a service life of 30,000 hours. PEM may stand for: Privacy-enhanced Electronic Mail Proton exchange membrane as in fuel cell, applications include use in proton-exchange fuel cells, used to manipulate hydrogen for energy conversion. ...

Low volumetric energy

For more details on this topic, see Hydrogen storage.

Hydrogen has a very low volumetric energy density at ambient conditions, equal to about one-third that of methane. Even when the fuel is stored as a liquid in a cryogenic tank or in a pressurized tank, the volumetric energy density (megajoules per liter) is small relative to that of gasoline. Because of the energy required to compress or liquefy the hydrogen gas, the supply chain for hydrogen has lower well-to-tank efficiency compared to gasoline.^[5] Some research has been done into using special crystalline materials to store hydrogen at greater densities and at lower pressures. Hydrogen storage is the main technological problem of a viable hydrogen economy. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... Cryogenics is the study of very low temperatures or the production of the same, and is often confused with cryobiology, the study of the effect of low temperatures on organisms, or the study of cryopreservation. ... For other uses, see Crystal (disambiguation). ...

Hydrogen production cost

For more details on this topic, see Hydrogen production.

Molecular hydrogen can be derived chemically from a feed stock, such as methanol, but can also be produced electrochemically from water. Current technologies for manufacturing hydrogen use energy in various forms, totalling between 25 and 50 percent of the higher heating value of the hydrogen fuel, to produce, compress or liquefy, and transmit the hydrogen by pipeline or truck.^[19] Electrolysis, currently the most inefficient method of producing hydrogen, uses 65 percent to 112 percent of the higher heating value on a well-to-tank basis.^[20] Environmental consequences of the production of hydrogen from fossil energy resources include the emission of greenhouse gases, a consequence that would also proceed from the on-board reforming of methanol into hydrogen. Studies comparing the environmental consequences of hydrogen production and use in fuel cell vehicles to the refining of petroleum and combustion in conventional automobile engines find a net reduction of ozone and greenhouse gases in favor of hydrogen.^[1] Hydrogen production using renewable energy resources would not create such emissions or, in the case of biomass, would create near-zero net emissions assuming new biomass is grown in place of that converted to hydrogen. The scale of renewable energy use today is insufficient and would need to be greatly increased to meet demand for widespread use in transportation. For example, hydroelectricity accounts for approximately 6 percent of global energy use, whereas other renewable resources, such as geothermal, solar and wind comprise only about 1.4 percent of energy production as of 2004.^[21] Development of renewable sources faces barriers, and although the amount of energy produced from renewable sources is increasing, as a percentage of worldwide energy production, renewables decreased from 8.15% in 2000 to 7.64% of total energy production in 2004 due to the rapid increase in coal and natural gas production.^[21] However, in some countries, hydrogen is being produced using renewable sources. For example, Iceland is using geothermal power to produce hydrogen,^[22] and Denmark is using wind.^[23] Hydrogen production is commonly completed from hydrocarbon fossil fuels via a chemical path. ... The Higher Heating Value (HHV) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) once it is combusted and the reactants have returned to a temperature of 25°C. The Higher Heating Value takes into account the latent heat of... The Higher Heating Value (HHV) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) once it is combusted and the reactants have returned to a temperature of 25°C. The Higher Heating Value takes into account the latent heat of... Greenhouse gases are gaseous components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect. ... Hydroelectricity is electricity produced by hydropower. ... Krafla Geothermal Station in northeast Iceland Geothermal power (from the Greek words geo, meaning earth, and therme, meaning heat) is energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earths surface or the collection of absorbed heat in the atmosphere and oceans. ... Solar power describes a number of methods of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. ... An example of a wind turbine. ... // Renewable energy development covers the advancement, capacity growth, and use of renewable energy sources by humans. ...

In addition to the inherent losses of energy in the conversion of feed stock to produce hydrogen which makes hydrogen less advantageous as an energy carrier, there are economic and energy penalties associated with packaging, distribution, storage and transfer of hydrogen.^[5]

Hydrogen infrastructure

For more details on this topic, see Hydrogen infrastructure.

For more details on this topic, see Hydrogen highway.

In order to distribute hydrogen to cars, the current gasoline fueling system would need to be replaced, or at least significantly supplemented with hydrogen fuel stations. Hydrogen stations are being built in various places around the world.^[24] Private and state initiatives like California's "California Hydrogen Highway" are already starting the infrastructure transition in advance of any manufacturers mass producing hydrogen cars.^[25] Replacement of the existing extensive gasoline fuel station infrastructure would cost a half trillion U.S. dollars in the United States alone.^[26] Proposed hydrogen highways are chains of hydrogen-equipped filling stations and other infrastructure which allow hydrogen powered cars to travel long distances. ... A hydrogen station is a storage or filling station for hydrogen, usually located along a road or highway, or at home as part of the distributed generation resources concept. ... 02:46, 30 November 2007 (UTC)Skip Sparks Widener The California Hydrogen Highway is a series of hydrogen refueling stations in California. ...

The UK has opened its first hydrogen filling station.^[27]

Political considerations

Most of today's hydrogen is produced using fossil energy resources.^[28] While some advocate hydrogen produced from non-fossil resources, there could be public resistance or technological barriers to the implementation of such methods. For example, the United States Department of Energy currently supports research and development aimed at producing hydrogen utilizing heat from generation IV reactors. Such nuclear power plants could be configured to cogenerate hydrogen and electricity. Hydrogen produced in this fashion would still incur the costs associated with transportation and compression or liquefaction assuming direct (molecular) hydrogen is the on-board fuel. Recently, alternative methods of creating hydrogen directly from sunlight and water through a metallic catalyst have been announced. This may eventually provide an economical, direct conversion of solar energy into hydrogen a very clean solution for hydrogen production.^[29] The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ... Generation IV reactors (Gen IV) are a set of theoretical nuclear reactor designs currently being researched. ... Prism splitting light High Resolution Solar Spectrum Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. ...

Some in Washington advocate schemes^[30] other than hydrogen vehicles to replace the petroleum-based internal combustion engine vehicles. Plug-in hybrids, for example, would augment today's hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles with greater battery capacity to enable increased use of the vehicle's electric traction motor and reduced reliance on the combustion engine. The batteries would be charged via the electric grid when the vehicle is parked. Electric power transmission is about 95 percent efficient and the infrastructure is already in place[3]. Tackling the current drawbacks of electric cars or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is believed by some to be easier than developing a whole new hydrogen infrastructure that mimics the obsolete model of oil distribution. A plug-in hybrid transportation system would face the same thermodynamic hurdles as would a system of hydrogen vehicles relying on electrolysis for its molecular hydrogen. The current electric grid, which is dominated by fossil energy resources in the United States, has a fuel-to-power efficiency of roughly 40 percent. Both the plug-in hybrids and the electrolytic hydrogen system would be subject to these comparative inefficiencies. For electric vehicles other than battery powered passenger automobiles, see electric vehicle. ... The number of US survey respondents willing to pay $4,000 more for a plug-in hybrid car increased from 17% in 2005 to 26% in 2006. ...

United States President George W. Bush was optimistic that these problems could be overcome with research. In his 2003 State of the Union address, he announced the U.S. government's hydrogen fuel initiative,^[31] which complements the President's existing FreedomCAR initiative for safe and cheap hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Critics charge that focus on the use of the hydrogen car is a dangerous detour from more readily available solutions to reducing the use of fossil fuels in vehicles. K.G. Duleep speculates that "a strong case exists for continuing fuel-efficiency improvements from conventional technology at relatively low cost."^[4] Challenging perspectives to many such critics of hydrogen vehicles in particular and of a hydrogen economy in general were presented in the 2006 documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car? George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Alternative meanings in State of the Union (disambiguation) The State of the Union Address is an annual event in which the President of the United States reports on the status of the country, normally to a joint session of the U.S. Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate). ... FreedomCAR is a USA national program developing more energy efficient and environmentally friendly highway transportation technologies that will enable America to use less petroleum. ... A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical economy in which the energy needed for motive power (for automobiles or other vehicle types) or electricity (for stationary applications) is derived from reacting hydrogen (H2) with oxygen. ... Who Killed the Electric Car? is a 2006 documentary film that explores the birth, limited commercialization, and subsequent death of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the 1990s. ...

President Bush's hydrogen car goals, in the opinion of some writers, are slipping away because "there are quicker, cleaner, safer and cheaper ways to reduce the tail-pipe emissions from cars and trucks that pollute the air and contribute to global warming." According to physicist and former U.S. Department of Energy official Joseph Romm, "A hydrogen car is one of the least efficient, most expensive ways to reduce greenhouse gases." Asked when hydrogen cars will be broadly available, Romm replied: "Not in our lifetime, and very possibly never."^[4] General Motors disagrees with that sentiment and has announced that it will start hydrogen vehicle production in 2010. However, GM's chief engineer on the fuel cell project, Mohsen Shabana, said hydrogen infrastructure would not be in place by then, and he noted that GM had produced only two test units of the Sequel (pictured above) so far.^[32] As an article published in the March/April 2007 issue of Technology Review argued, The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ... Dr. Joseph J. Romm was born on June 27, 1960 in Middletown, New York. ... Technology Review is an innovation and technology magazine affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...

In the context of the overall energy economy, a car like the BMW Hydrogen 7 would proba­bly produce far more carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline-powered cars available today. And changing this calculation would take multiple breakthroughs--which study after study has predicted will take decades, if they arrive at all. In fact, the Hydrogen 7 and its hydrogen-fuel-cell cousins are, in many ways, simply flashy distractions produced by automakers who should be taking stronger immediate action to reduce the greenhouse-gas emissions of their cars.^[2] For other uses, see BMW (disambiguation). ...

Alternatives

PHEVs

ICE-based hybrid cars can be plugged into the electric grid (Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs) and achieve much higher overall gas mileage and lower emissions than other hybrids. A 2006 article in Scientific American argues that PHEVs, rather than hydrogen vehicles, will soon become standard in the automobile industry.^[33] A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hybrid vehicle. ... The number of US survey respondents willing to pay $4,000 more for a plug-in hybrid car increased from 17% in 2005 to 26% in 2006. ... Scientific American is a popular-science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly) since August 28, 1845, making it the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. ...

EVs

Electric cars, such as the General Motors EV1 are typically more efficient than fuel cell-powered vehicles on a well-to-wheel basis.^[34] For this reason, battery powered vehicles are gaining popularity, particularly with the introduction of new models like the Tesla Roadster.^[35]. The Toyota RAV4 EV was powered by twenty-four 12 volt batteries, with an operational cost equivalent of over 165 miles per gallon at 2005 US gasoline prices. ... EV1 redirects here. ... The Tesla Roadster is a fully electric sports car, and is the first car produced by electric car firm Tesla Motors. ...

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 392 pixelsFull resolution (1506 × 738 pixel, file size: 251 KB, MIME type: image/png)This chart was created with data found here. ...

Hydrogen internal combustion

Hydrogen internal combustion engine cars are different from hydrogen fuel cell cars. The hydrogen internal combustion car is a slightly modified version of the traditional gasoline internal combustion engine car. These hydrogen engines burn fuel in the same manner that gasoline engines do. As in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the volume of the vehicle that the tank occupies is significant. Research is underway to increase the amount of hydrogen that can be stored onboard using high pressure hydrogen, cryogenic liquid hydrogen, or metal hydrides. A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... A Hydride is a chemical compound or form of a bond between hydrogen with a metal usually found in group 1 of the Periodic table, usually with a more electropositive element or group. ...

In 1970, Paul Dieges patented a modification to internal combustion engines which allowed a gasoline powered engine to run on Hydrogen US patent 3844262.

Mazda has developed Wankel engines that burn hydrogen. The Wankel engine uses a rotary principle of operation, so the hydrogen burns in a different part of the engine from the intake. This reduces intake backfiring, a risk with hydrogen-fueled piston engines. However the major car companies such as DaimlerChrysler and General Motors are investing in the more efficient hydrogen fuel cells instead.^[36] Ford Motor Company is investing in both fuel cell and hydrogen internal combustion engine research.^{[citation needed]} Because of the large heat exchanger necessary for fuel cells and their limited load change and cold start capability, they are certainly first choice as range extender for battery electric vehicles. The Wall Street Journal, reviewing BMW's new internal combustion hydrogen vehicle concluded: "A more efficient route for car makers would be to focus on high-mileage gasoline-powered vehicles. They are far simpler than hydrogen cars... but for now they stack up as the cleaner option."^[37] Wankel Engine in Deutsches Museum Munich, Germany The Wankel rotary engine is a type of internal combustion engine, invented by German engineer Felix Wankel, which uses a rotor instead of reciprocating pistons. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Internal combustion piston engine Components of a typical, four stroke cycle, internal combustion piston engine. ... DaimlerChrysler AG (ISIN: DE0007100000) is a German car corporation and the worlds eighth largest car manufacturer. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is an American automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ...

Automobiles

For more details on this topic, see List of fuel cell vehicles.

Many companies are currently researching the feasibility of building hydrogen cars. Funding has come from both private and government sources. In addition to the BMW and Mazda examples cited above, many automobile manufacturers have begun developing cars. These include: A fuel cell vehicle is a vehicle that uses a fuel cell to power an electric drive system. ...

Hyundai Tucson FCEV in the background (on the left) and Toyota Highlander FCHV in the foreground (on the right) during UC Davis's Picnic Day activities

• BMW — The BMW Hydrogen 7 is powered by a dual-fuel Internal Combustion Engine and with an Auxiliary power based on UTC Power fuel cell technology. The BMW H2R speed record car is also powered by an ICE. Both models use Liquid Hydrogen as fuel.
• Daimler AG — F-Cell, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
• Fiat - Panda hydrogen, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle utilizing Nuvera's Andromeda fuel cell stack
• Ford Motor Company – Focus FCV, a hydrogen fuel cell modification of the Ford Focus, and E-350 buses, which began leasing in late 2006.
• General Motors — multiple models of fuel cell vehicles^[38] including the Hy-wire and the HydroGen3
• Honda – currently experimenting with a variety of alternative fuels and fuel cells with experimental vehicles based on the Honda EV Plus, most notable the Honda FCX, powered by a front-mounted 80 kW AC electric motor, with 20 kW pancake motors providing supplemental power to the rear wheels. Electrical energy is provided by a 100 kW hydrogen fuel cell, with regenerative braking energy stored in ultracapacitors. The first production version of the FCX, dubbed the FCX Clarity, was announced at the 2007 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle is expected to be available in mid-2008 in limited numbers for lease only in the Los Angeles area^[39]. In November 2007, Honda announced its new Home Energy Station IV that uses steam reforming of natural gas to derive hydrogen from both the steam and natural gas in equal parts, as well as heat and electricity for the home.
• Hyundai — Tucson FCEV, based on UTC Power fuel cell technology
• Mazda - RX-8, with a dual-fuel (hydrogen or gasoline) rotary-engine^[40] Mazda leased two dual-fuel RX-8s to commercial customers in Japan in early 2006, becoming the first manufacturer to put a hydrogen vehicle in customer hands. Also the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, with a dual-fuel (hydrogen or gasoline) rotary-engine^[41]
• Nissan — X-TRAIL FCV, based on UTC Power fuel cell technology.
• Morgan Motor Company – LIFEcar, a performance-oriented hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with the aid of several other British companies
• Toyota – The Toyota Highlander FCHV and FCHV-BUS^[42] are currently under development and in active testing. In November 2007, ten new hydrogen powered Prius cars were delivered to three companies in Iceland by VISTORKA, a shareholder in Icelandic New Energy. [4]

• Volkswagen also has hydrogen fuel cell cars in development.

Supporting these manufacturers are fuel cell and hydrogen engine research and manufacturing companies. The largest of these is UTC Power, a division of United Technologies Corporation, currently in joint development with Hyundai, Nissan, and BMW, among other auto companies. Another major supplier is Ballard Power Systems. The Hydrogen Engine Center is a supplier of hydrogen-fueled engines. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1693 KB) Hyundai Santa Fe FCEV and Toyota Highlander FCHV on display at w:UC Davis Picnic Day in April 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1693 KB) Hyundai Santa Fe FCEV and Toyota Highlander FCHV on display at w:UC Davis Picnic Day in April 2006. ... The Hyundai Tucson (also called the JM) is a compact crossover SUV launched in 2005 by the Korean automaker Hyundai. ... The University of California, Davis, commonly abbreviated to UC Davis or UCD is one of the ten University of California campuses. ... For other uses, see BMW (disambiguation). ... Hydrogen-7 is an isotope of hydrogen. ... A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a major multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The BMW H2R is a concept vehicle designed by BMW as an example of a high efficiency, environmentally friendly car. ... A colored automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... Liquid hydrogen is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. ... DaimlerChrysler AG (ISIN: DE0007100000) is a German car corporation and the worlds fifth largest car manufacturer. ... The F-Cell is a fuel cell vehicle developed by DaimlerChrysler. ... The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a small family car produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. ... For other uses, see Fiat (disambiguation). ... “Ford” redirects here. ... The Ford Focus is a small family car made by Ford and sold in most Ford markets worldwide. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is a multinational corporation headquartered in the United States and has been the worlds largest and most dominant automaker since 1931 till the second half of 2007, surpassed by Toyota; as well as the global industry sales leader for 77 years. ... The Hy-wire is a concept car from General Motors. ... This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ... The Honda EV Plus was the first production electric car from a major automaker with non lead acid batteries. ... Honda FCX concept mock up, in 1999 The Honda FCX (presumably meaning Fuel Cell eXperimental) is a hydrogen fuel cell automobile manufactured by Honda. ... A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ... MC and BC series supercapacitors (up to 3000 farad capacitance) produced by Maxwell Technologies A supercapacitor or ultracapacitor is an electrochemical capacitor that has an unusually high energy density when compared to common capacitors. ... Two Dodge Chargers in the Dodge exhibit at the 2006 LA Auto Show Mercedes S-Class at the 2006 LA Auto Show The Greater Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual auto show that takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. ... Home Energy Station is the name of Hondas upcoming heat and electricity generator for the home as well as fuel for hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles. ... South Korean business tycoon Chung Ju-yung, founder and honorary chairman of Hyundai Group, 1998 Hyundai refers to a group of companies founded by Chung Ju-yung in South Korea, and related organizations. ... The Hyundai Tucson (also called the JM) is a compact crossover SUV launched in 2005 by the Korean automaker Hyundai. ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a major multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Mazda RX-8 is a car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation; which first appeared in North America at the North American International Auto Show (2001). ... The Mazda5(formerly called Mazda Premacy in some markets) is a compact MPV built by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 1999. ... Nissan Motor Co. ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a major multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. ... LIFEcar is a fuel cell vehicle project being undertaken by Morgan Motor Company. ... Toyota Motor Corporation ) is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and currently is the worlds largest automaker. ... VW redirects here. ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a major multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is a multinational corporation based in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, and is the 20th largest U.S. manufacturer. ... Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD, NASDAQ: BLDP), located in Burnaby, British Columbia -- a suburb of Vancouver -- is a company that designs, develops, and manufactures zero emission proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. ...

Most, but not all, of these vehicles are currently only available in demonstration models and cost a large amount of money to make and run. They are not yet ready for general public use and are unlikely to be as feasible as plug in biodiesel hybrids. This article is about transesterified lipids. ...

Buses

Main article: fuel cell bus

Fuel cell buses (as opposed to hydrogen fueled buses) are being trialed by several manufacturers in different locations. The Fuel Cell Bus Club is a global fuel cell bus testing collaboration. The Fuel Cell Bus Club comprises the participants of the projects CUTE, ECTOS and STEP ([1]). They currently operate the largest fleet of fuel cell buses in the world, 33 buses, as part of a two-year Mercedes-Benz Citaro hydrogen fuel cell bus trial with three buses in each...

Hydrogen was first stored in roof mounted tanks, although models are now incorporating inboard tanks. Some double deck models uses between floor tanks.

Bicycles

Main article: PHB (bicycle)

Hydrogen bicycle

Pearl Hydrogen Power Sources of Shanghai, China, unveiled a hydrogen bicycle at the 9th China International Exhibition on Gas Technology, Equipment and Applications in 2007. The PHB is a hydrogen bicycle, power-assisted by an electric motor that gets its electricity from a fuel cell. ... The PHB is a hydrogen bicycle, power-assisted by an electric motor that gets its electricity from a fuel cell. ...

Motorcycles

ENV is developing electric motorcycles powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, including the Crosscage and Biplane. env is a shell utility for Unix-like operating systems (including Linux). ...

Airplanes

For more details on this topic, see Hydrogen planes.

Companies such as Boeing and Smartfish are pursuing hydrogen as fuel for airplanes. Unmanned hydrogen planes have been tested, and in February 2008 Boeing tested a manned flight of a small aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The Times reported that "Boeing said that hydrogen fuel cells were unlikely to power the engines of large passenger jets but could be used as backup or auxiliary power units onboard."^[43] Hydrogen planes are aeroplanes that use hydrogen as a fuel source Hydrogen is the best known source of fuel to replace the current fuel for aircraft, kerosene. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ... The Smartfish The Smartfish is a two seated experimental aircraft designed by Konrad Schafroth which uses a lifting body configuration. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Dr. Joseph J. Romm was born on June 27, 1960 in Middletown, New York. ... Dr. Andy Frank of University of California, Berkeley and his teams of students have been experimenting with various advanced vehicle technologies for the last 25 years. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Hydrogen-7 is an isotope of hydrogen. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the news website, see msnbc. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

Alternative fuel car Bivalent engine Early adopter Electric vehicle Future of the car Hell and High Water Hydrogen storage Hydrogen economy Hybrid vehicle

Sustainable development Portal Hydrogen highway Hydrogen technologies Liquid hydrogen List of fuel cell vehicles The Hype about Hydrogen Tribrid vehicle World Green Car Zero-emissions vehicle

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Bivalent is the engine that can use petroleum and renewable energy. ... Diffusion is the process by which a new idea or new product is accepted by the market. ... For battery powered passenger automobiles, see battery electric vehicle. ... The future of the automobile is a controversial topic, with some advocates arguing that the car has no future, and others that the car will in the future supplant most other forms of transport. ... Hydrogen storage is the main technological problem of a viable hydrogen economy. ... A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical economy in which the energy needed for motive power (for automobiles or other vehicle types) or electricity (for stationary applications) is derived from reacting hydrogen (H2) with oxygen. ... For other types of hybrid transportation, see Hybrid vehicle (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Sustainable_development. ... Proposed hydrogen highways are chains of hydrogen-equipped filling stations and other infrastructure which allow hydrogen powered cars to travel long distances. ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... Liquid hydrogen is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. ... A fuel cell vehicle is a vehicle that uses a fuel cell to power an electric drive system. ... The Hype about Hydrogen, Fact and Fiction in the Race to Save the Climate is a book by Joseph J. Romm, published in 2004 (ISBN 1-55963-703-X) and updated in 2005 (ISBN 1-55963-704-8). ... A tribrid vehicle is a third generation in alternative propulsion vehicles, that is, a bivalent hybrid vehicle with turbine (second generation), that also obtains energy from the ambient environment (solar panel, windmill or sail). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... General Motors EV1 A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV will produce no emissions or pollution from the vehicle when stationary or operating. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Hydrogen vehicles

• California Fuel Cell Partnership
• Clean Energy Partnership
• C-Net - Hydrogen: More Polluting than Petroleum?
• Does a Hydrogen Economy Make Sense?
• EERE - FreedomCAR
• European Fuel Cell Forum
• Hydrogen Cars Now
• National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium - Technical Library
• ELECTRIC MOBILITY NEWS PORTAL
• Toronto Star article on hydrogen trains dated October 21, 2007
• NOVA - Video on Fuel Cell Cars (aired on PBS, July 26, 2005)
• Sandia National Laboratory - Hydrogen Engine
• Spirit of Ma'at - Video of an engine running on hydrogen from water
• UK Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Knowledge Transfer Network
• New Hydrogen-Powered Land Speed Record from Ford
• Who Killed The Electric Car? (2006)