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Fuel Efficient Cars
Going Green
Going Green: Fuel Efficient Cars
More and more alternative energy vehicles are hitting the highway. Hybrids are becoming more commonplace. We even have mass transit fleets converting to hybrids. We also have more vehicles are running on biodiesel but here's something new, how about an electric vehicle that runs on hydrogen?
"This is a hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle. The fuel cell technology was produced and developed in the Rochester area. It's 20 degrees out today and we have our fuel cell vehicle out operating in these temperatures which is a big accomplishment making it a full-function vehicle and we're using over a hundred of these vehicles across the country to demonstrate fuel cell technology," said Gary Stottler, General Motors fuel cell car project.
GM's Gary Stottler is referring to one of hydrogen vehicle's problems that partner, the University of Rochester, helped them overcome. Chemical engineering professor Matt Yates explains the cold start issue.
"The fuel cell vehicle makes water as a product so if you are in a really cold environment you have ice and trouble getting the vehicle started," said Matt Yates, University of Rochester.
What you find from driving this vehicle is that it does everything that people need. That's what this demonstration project is all about, that you can drive this vehicle every day, you can carry your groceries, you can carry your children and it really does work.
The inside doesn't look any different from other cars but under the hood there's a fuel cell stack about the size of a microwave oven that produces a hundred and twenty kilowatts of electric power fueled by four gallons of compressed hydrogen, enough to travel 150 to 200 miles.
"Obviously, it's critical for us to continue our commitment and bring these technologies to market," said Stottler.
Still to overcome though is the mass production needed to lower the cost so people can afford these vehicles and like other alternative fuel vehicles, a network of fueling stations like we have for traditional gasoline is needed to make the switch practical.
