-----Original Message-----
From: LEE SCHILLING [mailto:@]
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 9:25 AM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Questions about Hydrogen-fueled Cars
Editor: I am a sophmore researching hydrogen-fueled cars. I would like to ask you 4-5 questions about this topic. Thank you for your time. It is greatly appreciated. -Lee
1. Do you think that hydrogen fuel is a good potential fuel for the future? Why?
Not the way some environmentalists think. Hydrogen needs to be stored, and that means either by freezing liquid hydrogen, or pressurizing hydrogen gas to 5,000 PSI or more, or storing it dry and feeding it through a reactant to produce hydrogen as you go. None of this is easy or anywhere near commercially viable.
Also remember hydrogen has to be made from something, either from electricity and water, a process that is very expensive, or from fossil fuel or biomass. All of these source fuels can be used in their original state, without losing part of the fuel in the conversion process to hydrogen.
What's good about hydrogen is that it burns clean and it can be made many different ways.
2. Would you ever consider purchasing a hydrogen powered car? Why?
There are two problems with hydrogen cars, the cost of fuel cells and the difficulty storing hydrogen.
Because hydrogen in its gas state is the lightest substance known, to get a usable amount of hydrogen it must be condensed more than anything else. If it were possible to store hydrogen in dry form, or in some very practical form (and nothing like that exists today), and, if hydrogen fuel cells were cheap and practical (they're not even close), then I would purchase a hydrogen powered car.
Actually, internal combustion engines convert to run on hydrogen very efficiently, as our automakers have patiently tried to tell the fuel cell crowd, and engines cost one one-hundredth (or less) what fuel cells cost per kilowatt (or horsepower, a kilowatt is equal to about 1.3 horsepower). So maybe if they solve the storage problem we'll see hydrogen powered hybrids.
3. Do you think that our country is paying enough attention to this issue and putting forth enough effort? Why do you think that?
Yes I do, but I think the market is forcing it to happen more than anything else. Embracing new automotive technologies and leapfrogging competitors is something Americans know how to do, and if the U.S. auto industry is going to survive, they will start putting a plethora of automobile innovations on the market all at once, a hydrogen powered diesel serial hybrid would be a good one: Read The Serial Hybrid Car
4. How long before we start seeing these cars on the market?
I think fuel cell cars will be experimental for at least another ten years. In the meantime, the U.S. public and especially environmentalists should be asking automakers to do something more feasible. They need energy-efficient cars they can sell now, not something that has to wait until there are massive improvements to fuel cell manufacturing and materials technology.
5. Will hydrogen powered cars have better performance than gasoline powered? Why?
To measure the energy efficiency of a car starting from the amount of onboard fuel, an internal combustion engine can now get up to 25% efficiency, where if you started with 135,000 BTUs of gasoline (about one gallon) in the tank, you get in motor horsepower about 1/4th of that. A hydrogen fuel cell can get up to 60% of the energy out of the on-board hydrogen, which is pretty good. A good diesel engine, including those powered by hydrogen gas, can now get up to 40% efficiency.
Maybe because fuel cells are so unproven, the first hydrogen powered cars will be diesels or diesel hybrids. But they will still have to solve the problem of how to safely and economically store usable amounts of hydrogen.
Please note: 135,000 British Thermal Units, equals
1.0 gallons gasoline, equals
37 kilowatt-hours, equals
49 horsepower-hours
Clean Diesel Awareness Missing in America?
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Ebert [@]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 3:45 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Green diesel
Hello,
Loved your article. But, I still don't understand our inability to get small
diesel trucks here in the U.S.. It seems there is no end to large 5.7l. (or
more) diesel engines being employed in U.S. trucks 'but still no small
trucks. my Toyota is available with petrol only , when every other county in
the world seems to have access to the diesel models of trucks. Obviously the
problem isn't emissions.
who is making it hard for us? why doesn't anyone seem to be asking these
questions anywhere but some sideshow web pages?
Thanks, Jeff Ebert
Austin, TX
From: ed@ecoworld.com
Reply-To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Re: Green diesel
To: Jeff Ebert <@>
"Sideshow web pages'"? Golly gee Jeff...
Seriously, it's somewhat futile to speculate as to why diesel autos aren't more
prolific on American roads. But biodiesel seems to be getting a lot of
attention these days, and in that context we may see an emergence of more
diesel cars and more availability of diesel fuel. There is a great deal of
pent-up innovation that is on the verge of mainstreaming - and I'm not talking
about fuel cells, I'm referring to hybrids, "strong" hybrids (bigger battery
component) that you can plug in, and diesel powered cars as stand-alones, as
part of a hybrid drive-train, and even as a diesel-electric generator to recharge batteries on all-electric vehicles. Be optimistic. Times are changing.
From: joseph sloan
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 12:36 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Green vehicle article
Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 1:23 PM
Why Isn't Low Sulpher Diesel Fuel Available in U.S.?
Editor,
Refer to Automobile magazine for my source of my comment to you.
Your article on the VW Lupo is incorrect. As I understand it, the Lupo runs on diesel fuel..Yes. However, it runs on "Low Sulfer" diesel fuel which is not available in the U.S. The reason it is not available for sale in the U.S. is because oil companies have lobbied congress to pass laws PROHIBITING it's use. Imagine Exxon, Texaco, etc..., losing BILLIONS of dollars because of "Low Sulfer" diesel. Yes it pollutes less, yes, it makes cars like the Lupo get incredible gas mileage, but because of our system of lobbying, the oil companies have closed the door on that technology coming to the U.S. Please forgive me if you find out otherwise, but the Lupo is designed to get that incredible gas mileage runnning of the "Low Sulfer" diesel, unlike the regular diesel which is available at our pumps in the U. S.
Hope this helps, GREAT article!!! Keep up the good work. Sooner or later with the CORRECT administration in office, our country can make the oil industry invest, and produce economical and environmentally safe alternatives to gasoline. "Low Sulfer" deisel is the first step since the implements are already in use in Europe.
Sincerely,
Joe Sloan
From: Janssens
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 8:22 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Diesel Minivans
Why Isn't A Diesel Minivan Available in the U.S.?
Hello,
I was researching about available Diesel Minivans in the US, I have a family with almost 4 kids, 1 is on the way. I also have a German background, so I now about the Diesel vans that are available in Germany. I couldn�t find any information about available Minivans in the USA.
I would even buy the Chrysler Diesel, if it would be available. The VW Minivan isn�t sold here, which is another funny thing, you would think that TDI would be a good seller.
Can you enlighten me, if there is or will be any Diesel Minivan sold in the USA.
Thanks,
Frank Janssen
From: Bryant Wilson
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 1:04 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Green Diesels
Why Are American-made Diesel Cars Only Sold Overseas?
I drive an 85 Mercedes 300 Turbo Diesel. I bought it because NASA required the sale of 100% bio-diesel on Kennedy Space Center.
I am so aggravated and disappointed with car manufactures. All of the manufacturers make diesel versions of current USA models for overseas sales only. Some are even made here in America but not for sale, like the Jeep Liberty & Grand Cherokee. Jeep keeps saying that it will be available this year.
But they are putting in a larger MB diesel in for the US, meanwhile the more fuel efficient smaller diesels go overseas.
Just to make it really annoying, you can check them all out on British/Aussie web sites....Toyota - RAV4d, KIA, Ford, Opel (GM), Nissan you name it and they market a diesel, but not in the US.
I think I will just keep my 2 ton, 19 year old Mercedes......28 MPG (average) for another 200,000 miles.
Bryant
From: Jennifer Kulper
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 4:46 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Lupo import to US ??
How Can I Import A Diesel Car to the U.S.?
Did you ever figure out a way to import a Lupo ? I'd be very interested in the same. I'll be in Paris for 2 weeks in June, if there's anything I can do from that side to arrange for "a pair" and a shipping container ...
Sincerely,
Jennifer K.
From: Ian & Sara
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 12:40 PM
To: ed@ecoworld.com
Subject: Diesel emmisions compared to gas
Modern Diesel Cars Pollute Less Than Gas Cars?!
Editor,
I'm looking for data comparing diesel and gas car emmisions for various
manufactured years.
I have found some data: (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byfuel/Diesel2004.shtml), but it doesn't jive with what I was expecting (diesel lower for the most part).
Can you point me in the right direction?
-Ian
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