Are we trading OPEC for OHEC? (Oh, Heck!)

Announcements of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles from Toyota, Honda, BMW are starting to gain more traction in the media, especially since Toyota announced availability of the Mirai in December of this year. Of course, like electric vehicles, infrastructure must be put in place to refuel fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

Well, it’s not exactly like electric vehicles.

Most EV owners refuel at home and do not depend on public charging stations, except when they’re on a drive long enough that their battery would be depleted before they get back home.

Therein lies one critical issue. Way back in 2003, long before the modern era of EVs, President Bush announced a program called the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative. I remember hearing about this miracle of vehicles, powered by the most common element in the universe, but which generates no pollution and whose exhaust pipes only produce water. I just KNEW I would own one of these…someday.

My excitement and anticipation have started to wane, due to several factors:

• I have acquired three plug-in extended range electric vehicles and have found that they serve my needs perfectly. I look forward to a day when I can rely solely on ‘green’ fuel, but in the meantime, I have an on-board generator to keep my car moving down the road. I see this type of vehicle as a stepping stone into a future with EV range extended and charging time greatly reduced.
• I have become used to refueling my vehicle in my garage and dread the thought of traveling away from my home to stand in the heat, or cold, or rain to refill my fuel tank. Unless some relatively inexpensive device is developed, that can accumulate or generate and store Hydrogen at my home, I feel less inclined to explore hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The Department of Energy is offering a large cash prize for whoever comes up with this device first. Of course, whenever I think about storing highly compressed hydrogen near my home, the Hindenburg disaster comes to mind…
• I look forward to a day when I will have solar panels on my roof, generating the ‘fuel’ for my vehicles. No longer will I be at the mercy of a corporation or consortium because I need their fuel. No longer will I have to keep an eye on constantly changing fuel prices or shopping for a fuel bargain. No longer will I have to wonder how ‘clean’ my fuel is (i.e. how my electric provider generates the electricity I use). Hydrogen may be the most common element in the universe, but it doesn’t rain down on me, in a usable form, like sunlight does. Even if I can generate hydrogen at home, I’ll need somewhere to store it in a compressed form (up to 10,000 PSI). I’m not very excited about that at all. In the meantime, I will have to buy my hydrogen from a company, so am I trading OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) for OHEC (Organization of Hydrogen Energy Companies)? That’s pronounced “Oh, heck!” Remember you heard that here first…
• Once again, the auto industry is producing some very ugly designs to differentiate these vehicles from all who came before them. I’ve complained about this before. The Prius was/is (in my opinion) an ugly car. But it is recognizable, which is what Toyota wanted in the Prius’ infancy. Now they’re everywhere, so come on, Toyota, come up with an attractive look already! The Leaf, the i3, the i-MiEV, the 500e, the Think City, and the LiFE are all using quirky (I’m being generous here) looks to stand out from the hundreds of millions of vehicles in the world today. I understand the importance of branding (order a MEVJ cap and t-shirt today!) but this design approach gives the general public the idea that EVs, all alternative fuel vehicles in fact, have to be funky looking. Automakers: Take note of the Volt, ELR, i8, Model S, and Tesla Roadster to see how it should be done!
• Finally, having mentioned the Hindenburg disaster previously, I am concerned about what happens when a car accident causes the hydrogen tank to be ruptured. What is the effect of suddenly releasing a 10,000 PSI gas? How flammable will the vented hydrogen be? Won’t someone think of the children?!?! (tongue in cheek) The OSHA website lists dangers associated with working around hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells here.

Now, before all you fuel cell fans and manufacturers dog pile on me, understand that I want the dream of a pollution-free vehicle to become reality. I am aware that producing batteries, using current methods, generates its own forms of pollution. I also know that the generation of hydrogen has ecological trade-offs and may depend on fossil fuels, like natural gas. I’m just saying, let’s keep our heads and evaluate the pros and cons of these new types of clean vehicles. Let’s keep looking for ways to increase battery range, decrease battery weight, decrease charging time and improve chemistry to have less of an environmental impact. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles: Welcome to the fray!

May the best approach win.