Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

Well I think that as the ethanol production supports the farmers so could the hydrogen production support wind and solar generation of electricity, adding another profit avenue to the ever encroaching and instability generating renewable energy sources that are ruining the profitability of tradition generation facilities like coal, nuclear and gas turbine generators that provide the stability and reliability of grid electricity...both the transportation and electrical grid are CO2 producers that are equal targets of sustainable replacement....

True, ethanol does support the farmers… but ethanol is only profitable, when gas gets over $4.50-$5.00/gallon.

keeping in mind that the caloric value of ethanol is not that great… ie not that efficient.

https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/margins-in-processing-corn-to-ethanol-improve-to-reach-new-highs#:~:text=The%20margin%20for%20processing%20corn,of%20an%20average%20Midwest%20producer.

I think it has more to do with gasoline demand than price...

Yes,… Higher price for gas, ethanol is quite profitable.

The average hydrogen pump price of $21.28/kg equals a price per mile of $0.30. The Iwatani hydrogen pump price of $24,99/kg equals a price per mile of $0.35. An average gasoline price of $5,46/gallon in California equals a price per mile of $0.22.Nov 10, 2022

• An average state electricity price for end users of $0.273 cents/kWh (in August) equals a price per mile for an EV of $0.07. (This is despite California having the highest electricity prices in the contiguous US.)
• Using a Tesla supercharger during peak hours, at a cost of $0.50/kWh equals a per-mile price of $0.13.

https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/exclusive-fresh-blow-for-hydrogen-vehicles-as-average-pump-prices-in-california-rise-by-a-third-to-all-time-high/2-1-1351675

$21.28 per kg of hydrogen @ $.30 per mile = about 71 miles per kg...

..."Hydrogen has an energy density of 39.4 kWh per kg (if you could use it at 100% efficiency), but it takes 64.7 kWh of energy to electrolyze and compress hydrogen ..."...

67.4 kWh x $ 0.27 per av kwh = $18.20 divided by 71 miles = $0.26 per mile...could easily approach parity with gasoline

Hydrogen from ammonia offers a substantial cost savings...

https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/green-ammonia-and-hydrogen-now-cheaper-than-fossil-fuels/

<...ugly...>

Yellow makes a statement.

If they made them attractive to fit in with all the rest of the cars, no one would know that the owner is making such a sustainable statement.

What about the Hyperion..?

"Hyperion, a California-based company, has unveiled a hydrogen-powered supercar the company hopes will change the way people view hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The Hyperion XP-1 will be able to drive for up to 1,000 miles on one tank of compressed hydrogen gas and its electric motors will generate more than 1,000 horsepower, according to the company. The all-wheel-drive car can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in a little over two seconds, the company said.

Hydrogen fuel cell cars are electric cars that use hydrogen to generate power inside the car rather than using batteries to store energy. The XP-1 doesn’t combust hydrogen but uses it in fuel cells that combine hydrogen with oxygen from the air in a process that creates water, the vehicle’s only emission, and a stream of electricity to power the car."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/success/hyperion-xp1-hydrogen-powered-supercar/index.html

https://www.despatch.com/blog/list-11-hydrogen-powered-cars-currently-development/

That's a different kind of statement. Garish, comes to mind.

Maybe you'll find the Toyota Mirai more appealing...

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/toyota/mirai/

As the battery tech gets better, the hydrogen option seems to be falling away, though I will miss my serial cylinder explosions, especially those of horizontally opposed VW bugs, Alfasuds, and even puny Citroen 2Cvs. Never got to Porches, Subarus. Rolling down the window to hear the 4 star crackling in the rust rotted Alfa sprint was so much fun. But these new EVs take off so fast they will be a danger to us turbo-laggers, and the low weight will also help cornering. I won't show the KIA SUV in case the drool shorts out your keyboard.

https://www.kia.com/uk/new-cars/ev6/

Then there's this to think about....

Ran across this video of a hydrogen tanker truck with safety valve opening....

Pretty awesome...

Electricity Prices Plunge By 75% As Finland Opens New Nuclear Power Plant

Wow, 75%, that's a lot...

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Electricity-Prices-Plunge-By-75-As-Finland-Opens-New-Nuclear-Power-Plant.html