More hydrogen hype. Hybrid cars ARE the future
Not long ago, I wrote an article, Hydrogen hype: Why hybrid vehicles are more important than ever. I wanted to point out how hybrid cars such as the Honda Accord hybrid and the Toyota Prius really are the future.
While the media, big business, even Bush, have promoted the possibilities of the hydrogen economy, potential problems of such an economy are rarely mentioned.
The idea of the hydrogen economy has been around for decades, but the reality of the hydrogen economy is still decades away.
The more important point; however, is that hybrid vehicles can be a transitional technology towards hydrogen. Additionally, if hydrogen is hype, as many scientists claim, hybrid vehicles still result in significant advancements in pollution and fuel efficiency.
At the recent American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco, the DetroitNews recently reported: "Hydrogen is a very "leaky" gas that could escape from cars and hydrogen plants into the atmosphere. This could set off chemical transformations that generate greenhouse gases that contribute to atmospheric warming."
Even to achieve the current timeline of a few decades, hydrogen might cause as many, or even more problems as oil. The editor of the American Geophysical Union stated, "It is surprising that all of these groups examining a hydrogen economy are secure in the belief that H2 is a pure fuel, safe and harmless to the environment," although studies suggest otherwise.
To assume that the environment will have a chance to get better in the hydrogen future, in a "pollution-free world" is a catastrophic path. Today's pollution will seem minor to the pollution 20 years from now if action isn't taken today.
The horrific lack of inaction by the American auto industry to reduce pollution has been left unquestioned by decades of hydrogen promises and millions of dollars of campaign contributions. While the Ford Escape hybrid was 'made in America', it was also built on licensed hybrid technology from Toyota.
Almost certainly automotive engineers have suspected hydrogen problems for decades, and probably continue to suspect it. That's why Japan took the hybrid path. Hybrid cars represent an interim technological transition between oil and hydrogen, while opening other pathways as well.
Additionally, much like the Accord hybrid proves, hybrids can not only be significantly more efficient - in fuel and pollution - than standard cars, they can perform better.
Just a year ago American automotive leadership claimed just the opposite as a reason not to build hybrids - if you can still call it leadership.
While the media, big business, even Bush, have promoted the possibilities of the hydrogen economy, potential problems of such an economy are rarely mentioned.
The idea of the hydrogen economy has been around for decades, but the reality of the hydrogen economy is still decades away.
The more important point; however, is that hybrid vehicles can be a transitional technology towards hydrogen. Additionally, if hydrogen is hype, as many scientists claim, hybrid vehicles still result in significant advancements in pollution and fuel efficiency.
At the recent American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco, the DetroitNews recently reported: "Hydrogen is a very "leaky" gas that could escape from cars and hydrogen plants into the atmosphere. This could set off chemical transformations that generate greenhouse gases that contribute to atmospheric warming."
Even to achieve the current timeline of a few decades, hydrogen might cause as many, or even more problems as oil. The editor of the American Geophysical Union stated, "It is surprising that all of these groups examining a hydrogen economy are secure in the belief that H2 is a pure fuel, safe and harmless to the environment," although studies suggest otherwise.
To assume that the environment will have a chance to get better in the hydrogen future, in a "pollution-free world" is a catastrophic path. Today's pollution will seem minor to the pollution 20 years from now if action isn't taken today.
The horrific lack of inaction by the American auto industry to reduce pollution has been left unquestioned by decades of hydrogen promises and millions of dollars of campaign contributions. While the Ford Escape hybrid was 'made in America', it was also built on licensed hybrid technology from Toyota.
Almost certainly automotive engineers have suspected hydrogen problems for decades, and probably continue to suspect it. That's why Japan took the hybrid path. Hybrid cars represent an interim technological transition between oil and hydrogen, while opening other pathways as well.
Additionally, much like the Accord hybrid proves, hybrids can not only be significantly more efficient - in fuel and pollution - than standard cars, they can perform better.
Just a year ago American automotive leadership claimed just the opposite as a reason not to build hybrids - if you can still call it leadership.
Labels: Accord hybrid, Escape hybrid, Ford, Ford Escape hybrid, fuel efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, prius, toyota
posted by Dahcredyns at
9:31 AM
1 Comments:
More people should learn about electric vehicles as a solution. "Zero emissions" is something that's going to be required by law one day (you know it will). Making the decision to go electric is far cheaper anyway, like 10 cents on the dollar vs. gas. (source: zapworld.com)
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