Whatever happened to Fuel Cell automobiles promised in 2010?

o Compare durability

In the past seven or eight years the world's carmakers have had a few distractions, which have taken up quite a bit of time: new hybrid models; diesels, electric cars -- plug-ins, and a couple bankruptcies

There is a new target introduction date for fuel cells: 2015

All the major manufacturers have spent billions of dollars, along with the federal government, of course, in fuel cell research and development. There have been significant technological improvements since BMW, General Motors, Ford, Honda and Toyota began road testing prototypes, according to a report in Automotive News:

Automakers have been able to reduce the fuel cell's size by as much as 50 percent, compared with units they were testing a few years ago. They have also reduced the cost of some of the highest-cost parts, such as platinum

The fuel cell powertrain consists of four elements:

A tank that stores hydrogen

A fuel cell stack that converts by hydrogen and oxygen into heat and water, creating electricity

Lithium ion batteries that store the electricity. Follow this link for the best advice regarding water tanks Victoria.

A power unit that controls the flow of electricity to the electric motors

The Automotive News article added, "Unlike a battery-powered vehicle that can take six, seven, eight hours to recharge, a hydrogen refill takes 3.5 minutes. Also, while a battery-powered vehicle has a range of about 100 miles (40 miles on a Chevrolet Volt), depending on conditions, Honda's Clarity, a mid-sized sedan, can travel 240 miles on hydrogen. GM expects 300 miles for its fuel cell car."

Automakers say electric vehicles powered by fuel cells compare well with internal combustion engines with calalytic converters:

o More than twice as efficient

o Comparable precious-metal content

o Compare durability

o Compare range -- about 300 miles