ConsumerReports.org has published an extensive report on the current status and future of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle technology and concludes that we’re still a long way off from the vision of hydrogen FCVs replacing our oil-dependent vehicle fleet.
Auto engineers and editors at Consumer Reports have driven most of the latest fuel-cell vehicles, at our Auto Test Center or during automaker demonstrations. And we’ve talked with dozens of scientists and experts at car companies and at chemical companies that produce hydrogen. We think FCVs are promising. But the U.S. is a long way from the vision many people have of FCVs running on hydrogen produced from renewable sources, freeing the country from the shackles of a petroleum economy. In the near term, FCVs are more likely to run on hydrogen produced from natural gas.
The report is published in several sections online - you’ll find the table of contents on the upper left corner of the page linked above. The section titled “The Biggest Challenges” details a number of reasons why hydrogen FCVs are still a long way from being a commercially feasible and practical technology.
On the other hand, if you have followed the development of the hydrogen fuel-cell technology, you’ll realize that many of the things that Consumer Reports cites as obstacles and challenges are actually improved over where things were just a few years ago. And technology breakthroughs are continuing in the field.
(Photo: Honda FCX)
One Comment
the production in 2006 of the AirGenâ„¢ Fuel Cell Generator residential type discontinued can you tell us why ?
thnx in advance
http://fuelcellstore.com/products/ballard/airgen.html