Fuel cells added to California zero emission vehicle program
"Battery technology has been moving forward and batteries are still zero-emission technology, but the car companies have made it very clear that fuel cells are the technology of the future," said Jerry Martin, an Air Resource Board spokesman. This statement comes after the EPA approved regulation amendments to the California Zero Emissions Vehicle program. "This waiver simply reflects the prominence of fuel cells, fuel cells have really taken off," added John Millet, a spokesman for the EPA.
Amendments are common for the rules of the California program. Since created in 1990, as new technology is developed, the laws are changed to reflect what the manufacturers are pushing forward with.
Automakers differ on their viewpoint of fuel cell powered vehicles. General Motors expects to have 100 fuel cell powered vehicles on the road by next year for testing purposes, Ford, on the other hand, does not forecast popularity of the technology until 2015. Jennifer Moore, a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Co., said that "there are a lot of challenges that remain ahead for fuel-cell vehicles, everything from infrastructure to cost to range. In terms of when they're going to be commercially viable, it's pretty difficult to say at this point." Dave Barthmuss of General Motors says "a lot of milestones are being met and a lot of progress is really being made" on the fuel cell front.
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have adopted the California rules for zero emissions vehicles. The future seems to hold out hope for hydrogen, according to some auto manufacturers. With Toyota and Ford leading the way with hybrids, GM championing fuel cells and smaller companies pushing for plug in electrics and plug in hybrids, the landscape of green vehicles seems poised for growth. Legislation is doing its best to keep up.
[Source: biz.yahoo.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
david fazio 1:37AM (12/26/2006)
do not want a fuel-cell car until i have to buy one will buy a mercury hybraid when they come out hope they make the size of mkz lincoln otherwise will buy montego
Reply
Tim 7:39PM (12/27/2006)
Read this and tell me you still like Hydrogen. http://www.oilcrash.com/articles/h_scam.htm
Reply
kballs 4:26PM (12/27/2006)
CARB is a corrupt government body that panders to every need of the auto industry. They are really the ones who killed the electric car. Now they are pushing hydrogen fuel cells because the auto industry wants it. The ultra-rich are the ones in control. They put us on oil in the first place, now they are trying to move us to hydrogen... not because it's going to solve our energy needs, but because it helps them retain control. EVs were a threat to those in control because electricity is so decentralized nobody could really make big $ or control a very large portion of that infrastructure. I roll my eyes every time I hear about a "conspiracy by the electric utilities" from some oil talking head whenever there is news of EVs or PHEVs. Oh yeah the electric utility just wants your $... even though the consumer would save 80% over buying gasoline. Good for the consumer, bad for the oil companies.
Reply
Tim 11:39AM (12/28/2006)
A terrorist’s dream is to have a giant tanker of Hydrogen parked next to a big fat target. Spilled bio-diesel (or electricity for that matter) is less toxic to the environment than salt or sugar.
“Hydrogen may be considered to be one of the most destructive gases to escape into the atmosphere. It will destroy ozone in an irreversible process, reduce oxygen levels and produce water vapor in the stratosphere.” http://www.ozone-depletion.com/. Hydrogen is a very small molecule.
Reply