Hydrogen Technology In Reach

While it has been hyped much more as the "fuel for the future", hydrogen has a much longer road to get down before it becomes a viable option for fueling our passion for travel and our need for transportation. Honda has been on the forefront of the hydrogen wave, the only manufacturer currently testing a rear world hydrogen car, the FCX. The FCX is a small, urban car similar in size to the new Honda Fit. But unlike the Fit, the only thing spewing out of the FCX's tailpipe is pure water. Hydrogen power actually works very simply. After taking water from nature and running an electrical current through it, you are left with hydrogen and oxygen. At the pump, you will fill your take full of this hydrogen. When you leave the filling station, the hydrogen in the tank makes electricity through a couple different chemical processes which is then stored in conventional batteries or, as in the Honda FCX, a stack of ultracapacitors, which are much longer lasting. This stores the electricity until it is needed upon acceleration. While the process may seem complicated, it produces a driving experience so smooth and normal (if you ignore the silence) that it could be on the market today if the infrastructure was available. Many see hydrogen as the best option for eliminating our dependence on foreign oil. Unfortunately, many experts don't see a hydrogen economy becoming a reality for another few decades. Until then, I will have a blast riding on the fossils fuels still available. If you want to see the Honda FCX fuel cell vehicle in action, click here. Also, check out this Honda brochure which explains the hydrogen power process as well as fueling and more.

Ben

Diesel Hopes and Ethanol Dreams

One of the oldest options for better fuel economy is the basic diesel engine. Starting in large commercial vehicles, over the past 15 years, diesel technology has made leaps and bounds towards making diesels useable for the average person. VW has been one of the leaders in diesel technology in the US with cars ranging from the most basic Golf with a 1.9L I-4 diesel to the luxurious Touareg SUV available with a 5.0L diesel engine with a stump shreding 553 lb-ft of torque. Also, over the past decade or too, the rise in demand for diesel engines (especially in Europe where now almost 50% of cars sold have a diesel engine) have advanced the technology far beyond it's stereotypical black smoke and loud clatter. In fact, most new diesel cars are all but indistinguishable from their gasoline-powered counterparts. Many see diesels as superior to a gas-powered car because of their rocket-like acceleration off the line and greatly improved gas mileage. Unfortunately in the short term, those looking for a diesel will be out of luck. The US government instated new laws for diesel engines, which started June 1, 2006. None of the current diesel cars met the new standards and none will until the 2008 model year at least. So, if you are willing to wait, or could buy one used, diesels have proven technology that delivers solid 10 mpg or more gains over their gas counterparts. On the downside, you still will be using fossil fuels. But, all is not lost for those tree huggers.
Enter the world of ethanol. Ethanol is a type of alcohol refined from your average stalk of corn. There are so many advantages to ethanol that it seems only a matter of time until it become commonplace at fuel stations near you. First of all, ethanol is renewable energy. Farmers are currently being paid not to grow crops because our country grows such a massive excess. That excess could now be put to good use. There are farmers around the country who are becoming very intrigued with this idea and many have even considered building their own ethanol plant. Currently there are only 101 plants in the US but that number is rising. Besides its renewability, ethanol would also provide more power for the car. While a gallon of ethanol would not produce as must energy as a gallon of gasoline, the outright power produced is actually greater with an octane of around 115 to 120 versus gasoline's common octane rating of only 87. Finally, compared to hydrogen or other alternative fuel vehicles, automakers have already done an extensive amount of research into how to produce ethanol-engined vehicles as evidenced by the millions of Flex-Fuel vehicles currently on the road. Flex-Fuel is a type of engine that can run on straight gasoline, E85 ethanol (85% ethanol, 15% gas) or any mixture in between. The problem with their efforts is that among the tens of thousands of filling stations across the country, only approximately 200 pump E85. Also, although ethanol is a renewable resource, it would only be possible to replace 10% of gasoline for ethanol . Even that number would put an immense strain on the US economy and would shoot cor prices through the roof (Car & Driver). The numbers just don't add up. But, that doesn't mean ethanol couldn't be useful. Anything that could seamlessly help reduce our dependency on oil would be well recieved by the public and could be a viable short term option to fuel our lifes.

Hybrid Realities

These days, we're all familiar with the term "hybrid automobiles" and the fact that they supposedly save gallons of gas so you can save some money at the gas pump. While the fact that hybrids save gas remains true, their benefits, after a bit of number crunching, do not look as attractive as it once did. Typically, a hybrid will cost about $2000-$4000 over a similarly equipped gasoline model. That premium would take about 10 years to pay back taking into account only the increased gas mileage. So, while it may look like you are saving money, you could be deceived. This time period could be cut significantly if one takes into account the various tax brakes and refunds the government offers (up to $2000 depending on the vehicle). Cars like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid may save you gas, but in the end, only the most avid tree huggers will appreciate the benefits. And for many that is OK seeing as the line to get a new Prius just seems to get longer and longer every year. Many like the green image owning a car like that gives you. But if you are one for real results, you must look elsewhere. Fortunately, there are many other options currently on the market or on the horizon to help support our transportation needs...

Thanks,
Ben