Obviously, hydrogen-powered vehicles are still rather expensive to produce, and no one is suggesting that we shall see them on every street corner within a year or so, but if everyone keeps their blinkers on and doesn't grasp the potential of hydrogen, we will never get there.
The answer is to be ready for them. The question is: does everybody want them? It is only too obvious that the big oil companies are a little hesitant. In fact, much of the confusing, and often misleading reports about hydrogen tend to emanate from those bodies. And what about our governments? Aren't they supposed to be the ones looking after our interests?
To me, it appears as if Arnold Schwarzenegger down in California is the only one at the moment with the gusto to truly give it a try.
To be honest, I could go on forever about this subject, but alas, my editor tends to frown on my handing in novels composed as news stories, so I will leave you with a few interesting facts which I have learned. They seriously got me thinking, and I believe that they will do the same for you....
#1: Last year, GM's Chevrolet Sequel became the world's first fuel cell vehicle to go 300 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen.
#2: GM has now spent over $1 billion dollars on fuel cell system R&D (A company does not spend money like that on an idea unless they deem it viable).
#3: GM will soon have over 100 Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles being used in "real-life" testing, and over 1,500 people have already driven them on public roads.
#4: Today, more than 56 billion kilograms of hydrogen are produced globally each year. This amount is equal to what would be consumed by nearly 200 million fuel cell-electric vehicles! Also, global hydrogen production is forecast to grow 45 percent to 81 billion kilograms by 2011 (The point here is that the hydrogen industry is already a huge global industry with mature technology and an outstanding safety record).
#5: A large hydrogen production site exists today near almost every major North American and European city. This means large quantities of hydrogen are already being produced close to where most North Americans and Europeans live.
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| 2008 Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept |
The answer is to be ready for them. The question is: does everybody want them? It is only too obvious that the big oil companies are a little hesitant. In fact, much of the confusing, and often misleading reports about hydrogen tend to emanate from those bodies. And what about our governments? Aren't they supposed to be the ones looking after our interests?
To me, it appears as if Arnold Schwarzenegger down in California is the only one at the moment with the gusto to truly give it a try.
To be honest, I could go on forever about this subject, but alas, my editor tends to frown on my handing in novels composed as news stories, so I will leave you with a few interesting facts which I have learned. They seriously got me thinking, and I believe that they will do the same for you....
#1: Last year, GM's Chevrolet Sequel became the world's first fuel cell vehicle to go 300 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen.
#2: GM has now spent over $1 billion dollars on fuel cell system R&D (A company does not spend money like that on an idea unless they deem it viable).
#3: GM will soon have over 100 Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles being used in "real-life" testing, and over 1,500 people have already driven them on public roads.
#4: Today, more than 56 billion kilograms of hydrogen are produced globally each year. This amount is equal to what would be consumed by nearly 200 million fuel cell-electric vehicles! Also, global hydrogen production is forecast to grow 45 percent to 81 billion kilograms by 2011 (The point here is that the hydrogen industry is already a huge global industry with mature technology and an outstanding safety record).
#5: A large hydrogen production site exists today near almost every major North American and European city. This means large quantities of hydrogen are already being produced close to where most North Americans and Europeans live.
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| 2008 Cadillac Provoq Concept |