Hydrogen fuel-cell powered H-racer toy wins cool award
In their third annual Bottom Line Design Awards for ingenuity in business success, Business 2.0 and Frog Design have awarded the H-racer hydrogen fuel-cell powered toy as one of "the 11 coolest new products on the Planet." The toy car, created by Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, comes complete with its own solar powered hydrogen refuelling station to provide a truly renewable energy solution. Batteries are definitely not included.
Check out a video of the H-racer in action after the jump.
Analysis: When you see the H-racer in action, it's incredible just how simple the entire process is; the solar cell runs the production plant which produces the hydrogen and fuels the car. I'd love to full sized examples on the market.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris M 4:37PM (3/26/2007)
Well, it will teach the more observant and smarter children some of the major drawbacks to H2 fuel cell technology. That little rubber balloon doesn't hold much hydrogen, a battery the same size would propel the toy much much further!
Unfortunately, the not-so-bright kids will be fooled into thinking that "hydrogen is great!".
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Lucien Takar 2:54AM (3/27/2007)
@ Chris M
Advanced Hydrogen technology for use in automobiles or other generators is still relatively new. Whereas battery technology has been around for centuries. As with any new technology it will take some time to develop it and advance it in order to meet standards and expectations.
The reason Hydrogen fuel is considered to be the fuel of the future is because of its source: water. Since hydrogen can be produced from water, it’s expected that, in the future, every home, car, and energy consuming device will be run on hydrogen produced from your tap water. That is the reason why hydrogen fuel is the future.
And as time passes and research continues, like with all technology, it will become smaller, cheaper, and more common. No more power lines connecting homes; each home will have a hydrogen generator in its basement which will provide all the electricity/hydrogen needed to power the home and the car. And that's something the smart children will understand.
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Schmeltz 8:36AM (3/27/2007)
I'm trying to become more and more educated on the topic of Hydrogen, and like the idea of it as an energy carrier in the future. I've heard all of the arguments so far as to why it's not practical and it will never go mainstream, etc. but I can't help but wonder how so many people can be working on this every day, when many people claim it will never work. I've observed that the people who are against Hydrogen, are REALLY against Hydrogen. It seems that there is no flexibility, no openness to discussion, nothing. They are dead set against it, and that's the end of it. I'm just glad that the advancement of the world doesn't depend on people with that kind of attitude towards invention.
As for this toy, I think it's cool and good for education. Kids will ask questions and hopefully learn some new things. Better for them than an X box.
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Chris M 8:22PM (3/27/2007)
Um, Lucien, I think you mean "hydrogen can be made from water and ELECTRICITY". Lots of electricity. Electrolysis is about 60% efficient, fuel cells are only 50%, overall 30% - and that isn't counting compression or cryogenic chilling for storage. Compare that with the 85% efficiency of batteries and chargers. Why waste most of your electricity?
There are lots of ways to make H2, from water, natural gas, petroleum, coal, metal/acid reactions, etc. All of the methods are expensive and inefficient. Currently the cheapest method is by reforming natural gas - but it is more efficient to run a car directly on compressed natural gas!
The "home hydrogen and electricity generator" you mentioned runs on natural gas, of course. Much cheaper and more efficient to get electricity from the grid, or even from solar generators, than from an over $50,000 "home" fuel cell running on natural gas!
As for getting rid of power lines, the grid transmission is 95% efficient - "home fuel cell" cannot possibly compete in price or efficiency.
Schmeltz, I once had high hopes for H2 fuel, but after finding out all the huge problems involved (bulk, leaks, high price, low efficiency, metal embrittlement, etc.) and that there were several better cheaper more efficient alternatives, well, I turned a bit cynical about all the hype. H2 fuel may have some use in big rockets and maybe even aviation, where its high energy per Kg outweighs its many faults, but it is not a good automotive fuel and never will be.
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pkuhl 11:06AM (4/05/2007)
Chris M's statements are supported by science.
Hydrogen fuel cells, no matter how much more efficient each step is made, will still be less efficient than today's electric car / chemical battery solutions.
http://www.efcf.com/e/reports/E17.pdf
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