October 2007
The ultimate green machine
More fuel-cell vehicles are hitting the road, but it's still an uphill climb
Illustration by Matt Foster
Fuel-cell cars are the Holy Grail of green-car technology. They emit only water from the tailpipe, produce their own electricity
for power, and run on hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. And as concern grows over gasoline prices and global
warming, you'll be hearing a lot more about them.
The Bush administration sees fuel-cell vehicles, or FCVs, as a critical step toward energy independence and has committed $1.2 billion to developing the technology and infrastructure. Auto-makers have stepped up their development of FCV prototypes, introducing four new models at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November. And General Motors and Honda will soon be putting more than 125 new FCVs into the hands of ordinary motorists to use on a trial basis.
But while FCV development is accelerating, there are potholes in the road.
Auto engineers and editors at Consumer Reports have driven most of the latest fuel-cell vehicles, at our Auto Test Center or during automaker demonstrations. And we've
talked with dozens of scientists and experts at car companies and at chemical companies that produce hydrogen. We think FCVs
are promising. But the U.S. is a long way from the vision many people have of FCVs running on hydrogen produced from renewable
sources, freeing the country from the shackles of a petroleum economy. In the near term, FCVs are more likely to run on hydrogen
produced from natural gas.
The Bush administration sees fuel-cell vehicles, or FCVs, as a critical step toward energy independence and has committed $1.2 billion to developing the technology and infrastructure. Auto-makers have stepped up their development of FCV prototypes, introducing four new models at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November. And General Motors and Honda will soon be putting more than 125 new FCVs into the hands of ordinary motorists to use on a trial basis.
But while FCV development is accelerating, there are potholes in the road.
- Like other prototypes, today's hand-built FCVs can cost $1 million or more to build. Even if mass produced, it's estimated
that current models would cost $500,000 each. So reducing costs is a major goal for the government and automakers.
- Few hydrogen fueling stations exist, and it will cost billions to build an infrastructure that will make FCVs practical.
- Critics say that hydrogen is difficult to store and that FCVs are not as efficient as other types of alternative vehicles,
such as electric or natural-gas-powered cars.
