Hydrogen-powered cars

[cubastreet]

Perhaps a reflection of how city-centric much of what makes public discussion anywhere, I am always struck by claims about average private trip lengths. Personally, I very seldom make a round trip of less than 35-40 miles and quite frequently more. There is very unlikely to be a personal transport solution, apart from a near direct equivalent to petrol/derv ICE, that I would contemplate owning, and unless free issue cars, along with some mechanism to park it easily, happen, I am never going to own more than one at any one time.

I'm going back to rural life in a couple of weeks and I think an EV would suit me perfectly. The only semi-regular trip I make is about 100 miles, which can comfortably be driven in most if not all currently available EVs.

I only make a longer trip once or twice a year and if charging times worry me I'll swap cars with a friend or get a rental.

A friend told me she wouldn't buy an EV due to range issues but in the two years we were neighbours she never took a trip longer than 100 miles. Range issues are real for some people but for many they are unfounded.

 

[jtrade]

Ten years ago, it seemed that hydrogen powered vehicles would be the only sensible way forward, IF the refuelling network could be put together.

But now battery technology is developing far beyond what is currently on the market : think of the very first mobile phones which cost £5k and huge batteries the size of a brick! Within 10 years 1,000 mile vehicle range, fast charging and sufficient low CO2 generation should be easily available (PV cell technology is also developing fast). Lots of testing of new battery technologies not using rare earths, to enable the huge upscale in demand for EVs.