By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
On the periodic table of elements, hydrogen sits alone at the top as the first element. In the automotive world, it is part of a large number of new, growing technologies designed to fuel vehicles of the future.
As the pressure builds worldwide for manufacturers to produce cleaner-burning, more efficient and alternative-fuel powered vehicles, technologies like gas-electric hybrids and the new clean diesels are becoming commonplace on roads worldwide. An additional goal for vehicles sold in the U.S. is to find a fuel source that can be obtained or produced self-reliantly. Enter the hydrogen fuel cell.
With the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, manufacturers are attempting to meet these requirements while matching it with a safe, reliable and profitable high-production vehicle. While hydrogen fuel cell technology is still in relatively early development for mass production, vehicles such as BMW’s Hydrogen 7 and Chevrolet’s Equinox fuel cell will be on the road in limited numbers starting beginning in 2007.
Who would turn down the opportunity to drive a luxury BMW equipped with cutting-edge technology at no cost? Beginning in December, BMW will select 100 drivers to test drive their hydrogen-powered 760iL sedans for several months starting in mid-2007. BMW will use its stretched model of the 7-series powered by a modified 6.0-liter V12 engine capable of running off gasoline or hydrogen. The system is switched by the push of a button from gasoline to liquid hydrogen, which is stored in a small, insulated tank in the trunk.
Similar to BMW, Chevrolet will also select 100 drivers to test their hydrogen-powered Equinox at 3-month intervals. Unlike BMW’s duel-fuel system, the Equinox fuel cell will run solely off hydrogen gas to power its electric motors. The “market test” will begin in the fall of 2007 and is limited to drivers in California, New York City and Washington, D.C.
With just 50 hydrogen fueling stations in 15 states, most fuel cell cars will probably be concentrated in designated areas, but so far BMW has not given specific areas it will initially launch. They will be providing some home refueling systems and two mobile fueling stations for its U.S. testers.
Aesthetically speaking, both vehicles vary only minutely when compared side-by-side to their gasoline-burning counterpart. The main difference between BMW and Chevrolet’s system is the state of the hydrogen. BMW uses liquid hydrogen which is able to be stored in the vehicle using up less interior space, while Chevrolet will use compressed hydrogen gas that is pressurized at 10,000 psi.
While the two operate in different manors, the attraction of using hydrogen power is that its primary byproduct is pure water and that it can be produced anywhere. The biggest issue with the new hydrogen technology is the fact that while hydr
ogen-powered cars emit zero emissions, the production of hydrogen fuel is derived primarily from fossil fuels. It takes energy to produce the hydrogen gas and the most common source now is by using natural gas or coal which means that pollution and greenhouse gases would still be emitted. Other methods of hydrogen production include the use of solar, wind or hydroelectric power as more efficient sources, but not the most effective methods at this point.
Current hydrogen costs are higher than that of gasoline, but manufacturers are counting on an increased demand which would lead to an increased capacity and help drive prices down. Additionally, as an increasing number of manufacturers invest in hydrogen technology, the more will be learned about cleaner, more efficient ways of production.