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Hydrogen fuel cell cars could one day challenge electric cars in the race for pollution-free roads—but only if more stations are built to fuel them.
Honda, Toyota and Hyundai have leased a few hundred fuel cell vehicles over the past three years, and expect to lease well over 1,000 this year. But for now, those leases are limited to California, which is home to most of the 34 public hydrogen fueling stations in the U.S.
Undaunted, automakers are investing heavily in the technology. General Motors recently supplied the U.S. Army with a fuel cell pickup, and GM and Honda are collaborating on a fuel cell system due out by 2020. Hyundai will introduce a longer-range fuel cell SUV next year.
"We've clearly left the science project stage and the technology is viable," said Charles Freese, who heads GM's fuel cell business.
Like pure electric cars, fuel cell cars run quietly and emission-free. But they have some big advantages. Fuel cell cars can be refueled as quickly as gasoline-powered cars. By contrast, it takes nine hours to fully recharge an all-electric Chevrolet Bolt using a 240-volt home charger. Fuel cells cars can also travel further between fill-ups.
Would you rather trade in your gas-guzzler for a hydrogen fuel cell car, or an electric car?
(Score: 1, Troll) by ngarrang on Monday April 17 2017, @07:54PM (1 child)
Fuel cells suffer the same fault as batteries...they require rare earth minerals. You are trading one master (Middle East) for another (China). What we need is for the proliferation of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines. Hy-ICE makes use of existing engine manufacturing, with small modifications for support the use of hydrogen. If you really want Energy Security, batteries and fuel cells are the wrong direction.
(Score: 2) by WalksOnDirt on Monday April 17 2017, @09:57PM
Rare earths are used in neither Tesla-type batteries nor in automotive fuel cells. Nickel metal hydride batteries use rare earths and some solid oxide fuel cells also use them, but neither of these will be in a modern car.