user 628729

I'm not convinced; the storage and handling issues are difficult.
Hydrogen, like most other power sources, has to be "manufactured" from something.
In the long run that "something" will be clean/renewable, i.e. probably solar/tidal/wind/geothermal etc.

But what is being missed out is that what goes into the vehicle is just an intermediary, to store energy compactly and efficiently.

Electricity via batteries seems to be doomed to fail on that front.
Petrol works well because it has a high energy content and can be moved quickly (by pumping) and stored for long periods relatively safely (Buncefield!)

So we need an intermediary, and an "engine" that are non-polluting and easily recycled. And preferable cheap and easy to make (both).

Fuel cells and electric motors are one type of engine, but so is the traditional/evolved internal combustion device.
As for the intermediary, who knows, industrial chemists can probably propose several. Ethanol or similar alcohols for example, manufactured from water and CO2 from the air?

A bit of end-to-end thinking without vested interests (and there's the biggest problem) must surely provide several answers?

gjh

I wonder what depreciation is like on an electric car?

gingeRS

hmmmmmmm.........gotta love 'theoretical' engineering

if there was a product that gave 25% power, improved economy by 35% and produced zero emissions, come work for me, i have a job for you.

p.s. i work in testing for one of the big FIE manufacturers for the HD diesel industry.