# The One Big Thing Holding Back A Hydrogen Car Future



## EVDL Archive (Jul 26, 2007)

Writing in Daily Finance, Maxx Chatsko sees the lack of a hydrogen gas refueling infrastructure as the chief obstacle to a fuel cell-powered future.

More...


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

The infrastructure is simply one piece of the real "one reason" hydrogen is not happening.

Cost.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

PhantomPholly said:


> The infrastructure is simply one piece of the real "one reason" hydrogen is not happening.
> 
> Cost.


Not just COST

Physics has a lot to do with it!

Hydrogen is an awful fuel 
It leaks through almost anything
You need a LOT of energy to compress it (about the same as you get back "burning" it in a fuel cell)
It has very wide explosive limits

If somebody gave us a huge supply of free hydrogen the two best ways to use it would be 
(1) Turn it into electricity and use the electricity to power BEV's

or (2) Turn it into a liquid fuel (Methanol??) to be used as a designer fuel in fuel cell cars (assuming we could fix the fuel cell problems of cost and life)


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

Duncan said:


> Not just COST
> 
> Physics has a lot to do with it!
> 
> ...


Heh, well I would have said that the limitations of physics result in additional cost, but we are on the same page.

On the other hand, most of the issues of physics CAN be solved to create a car with, for example, good range and fast refueling. However, such solutions come at a high cost...

Things cost a lot when they are inefficient - either in execution, or in the allocation of resources needed to make it possible. Additional cost can be acceptable in some circumstances - you might, for example, be willing to pay more for a car that can drive 1,000 miles between refueling stops. 

But as long as fuel cells require Platinum and refueling requires compressors capable of stuffing leaky atoms into 10,000 psi tanks, I doubt the average person will ever accept the total cost of ownership.


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## thequietman (Nov 26, 2013)

There is a very real hazard with refueling CNG, LNG, Hydrogen.

They have a very high storage pressure. Many times 1,200-3,500PSIG.

If the quick type coupler is not securely fastened, it will pop off and disconnect.

If you are just standing there, as usual, not paying attention, in front of it, it will knock you silly.

I have personally seen this happen once during a demo and twice during normal refueling operations.

Here in my area, people are reluctant to invest in new stations due to high cost involved, making investment returns slow.

QM


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

thequietman said:


> There is a very real hazard with refueling CNG, LNG, Hydrogen.
> 
> They have a very high storage pressure. Many times 1,200-3,500PSIG.
> 
> ...


Exactly.

I priced having a CNG compressor installed in my home. I thought the initial cost would pay for itself over time - then I discovered that the compressor wears out in about 4-5 years of normal use. When you calculate it all out, it more than eats up the savings in fuel costs.


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