Will Hydrogen or Electric Power Dominate America’s Transportation Future?

Will hydrogen or electric power dominate America’s transportation future? That was the question on the minds of everyone involved in the unprecedented Hydrogen Road Tour, which runs this week from Chula Vista, Calif., to Canada’s British Columbia.

I caught up with this caravan of 12 hydrogen fuel cell cars at a hydrogen fueling station in Irvine, Calif., which is home to the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California at Irvine (UCI).

At this rare hydrogen pumping station, a crowd of about 50 industry folks, media, hydrogen enthusiasts and a group of school kids gathered to check out the latest hydrogen fuel cell cars and learn about the latest news in hydrogen technology.

First, I met up with Justin Ward, who is the assistant manager of Toyota’s fuel cell hybrid group. He and his Toyota colleagues were driving a Toyota Highlander FCHV-ADV in the tour. “It’s a great image to have a worldwide effort towards future sustainability,” says Ward.

Yeah, I guess watching a caravan of 12 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles driving down the street would make some people believe in hydrogen fuel cell technology. In fact, some of the vehicles driving in the tour include the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) F-Cell, Hyundai Tucson FCEV, Kia Borrego FCEV, Nissan X-Trail, VW Tiguan HyMotion and the Honda FCX Clarity (pictured above).

Besides Chevy’s fleet of pre-production Equinox Fuel Cells, the only manufacturer to have real consumers driving their hydrogen cars is Honda.

In fact, I met Honda FCX Clarity driver and leasee Jack Cusick at the Irvine leg of the tour. “I was looking for a cleaner car,” says Cusick, who says he originally considered buying a natural gas-powered vehicle.

But ever since he got behind the wheel of his Honda FCX Clarity in January, Cusick says the Clarity is “the most amazing car ever.” Not only is he super happy about his car’s zero emissions status, but he also loves the “clean and luxurious” interior. “I love this car,” he says, “and I don’t want to give it back.” (Honda only leases its FCX Clarity for three years at $600 a month!)

As for performance, Cusick says the Honda FCX Clarity is “smooth and quiet.” He also like how the advanced suspension and lack of transmission makes the FCX Clarity feel like it is “floating” on the road. “I’d be happy driving this car for the rest of my life,” he says.

As an auto journalist, I find that truly impressive. However, there’s one BIG problem when it comes to hydrogen technology: Not nearly enough fueling stations to make hydrogen a viable transportation alternative. At least, not yet.

I mean, who would pay $600 a month to lease a car that you can’t take on long road trips? Cusick says he would “love” to take his super cool FCX Clarity to visit his daughter in Northern California or for a weekend in Vegas, but the severe lack of hydrogen fueling stations makes long distance travel impossible. (Studies show it will cost around $2 million to build just ONE hydrogen fueling station.)

Then, I met Patrick Serfass, a vice president of technology and communications with the National Hydrogen Association. He showed me a recent study by his organization titled The Energy Evolution. This “analysis of alternative vehicles and fuels to 2100” attempts to show how fuel technologies like hydrogen will reduce greenhouse pollution, oil consumption, air pollution and other “societal costs” such as health care.

Now, I’m not sure how any scientist can truly look 80 or so years down the road and decide which fuels will really save the planet and make us truly sustainable. Will hydrogen be the answer? Or, is all-electric technology the better solution?

Serfass and all the other folks at the Hydrogen Road Tour were quick to point out that hydrogen is just “one” such answer and that Americans need more than one alternative transportation solution.

I agree. The American public needs more choices when it comes to alternative energy vehicles. Hydrogen is certainly a viable answer as the in-your-face Hydrogen Road Tour points out with its many concept and in-production hydrogen vehicles.

Still, my main beef with alternative fuels like hydrogen is that most of them are manufactured from carbon-polluting or non-sustainable sources such as coal, corn or natural gas. And, hydrogen gas still has to be shipped and stored just like today’s gasoline.

That’s why I am holding out for a solar-powered electric vehicle (EV). Living in sunny Southern California, I can definitely envision solar panels on my roof powering my completely electric plug-in car. And when I need to refuel, I just plug it into recharging units, which can be installed rather inexpensively and can be found just about anywhere.

Yeah, hydrogen is cool. But is it sustainable? And, is it truly the future? I’m not convinced.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande