Jesse James: loves H2, says all electric car fans "are Dungeons and Dragons freaks"
by Sebastian Blanco on Jul 31st 2009 at 2:55PM 
Last month, adrenaline junkie Jesse James attempted to set a new land speed record in his hydrogen-powered vehicle, sort of a purpose-built H2-rocket. Things didn't go as smooth as James hoped, but he's still a huge fan of hydrogen cars. As part of the promotion for his show Jesse James is a Dead Man – which will air the attempt August 9 – James gave an interview with the LA Times' Brand X blog in which he gave his "not a scientist" viewpoints on the difference between hydrogen and battery-powered cars. In case you're curious, James really, really doesn't like EVs. Instead, he's a fan of his fast hydrogen car because everyone said he couldn't/shouldn't do it. His reasons?
- I don't want a bunch of people with ... Birkenstocks to show up to the shop now from Oregon. [...] I wanted to prove I can make a car go 200 on water.
- I like pistons and a crank shaft and putting fuel in something that you know there's a flame and explosion going on there. That's what I like. That's what I've based my whole life on. I think the internal combustion engine will live forever. We just have to figure out a way to make it environmentally friendly and not belch carbon monoxide and hazardous emissions
- [Electric vehicles are] for dorks. [...] All the people involved with that technology are Dungeons and Dragons freaks. I'm just not that into it. No one's passionate about a golf cart.
Gallery: Jesse James
[Source: Brand X]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
matt 3:03PM (7/31/2009)
jesse james is officially an idiot.
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Mike!!ekiM 5:47PM (7/31/2009)
No, he's pretty smart, he gets a big check, and says what he's told to say.
jeff 3:05PM (7/31/2009)
Oh boy, i've never had the chance to do this before, and it's just so appropriate right now:
http://www.facepalm.org/
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Scott K. 4:25PM (7/31/2009)
Perfect response! (I'm saving that link for later use...)
jeff 3:11PM (7/31/2009)
Seriously though.... did he actually just described a vehicle that powers a fuel cell using hydrogen generated from water using battery powered electrolysis?
So... battery>electrolysis>hydrogen>ICE
So an internal combustion vehicle that throws away all the benefits of the energy density of liquid fuels by relying on a battery to make the fuel on demand. This guy needs to stay on the shop floor and out of product development...
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paulwesterberg 3:57PM (7/31/2009)
battery->electricity(95-99% efficient)
electricity->motion(90-93% efficient)
=85-92% efficient
tesla roadster range on 53kwh: 240 miles.
battery->electricity(95-99% efficient)
electricity->electrolysis->hydrogen(50-80% efficient)
hydrogen->ICE->motion(20-25% efficient)
=10-20% efficient
vehicle range on 53kWh: 28-56 miles.
PopSmith 7:32PM (7/31/2009)
Thanks for the insight Paul.
In regards to the "Hydrogen vs Electric" debate, as others have mentioned I do NOT see a point in Hydrogen for transportation. Due to the process of Hydrogen->ICE->Battery, why should Hydrogen be pursued at all?
Hopefully PolyPlus can get their Lithium metal-air batteries (see: http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/22926/) in shape in >5 years. They have an energy density of 5000 Wh/kg (~10x current Li-ion battery density) and that would mean much smaller batteries with greater range than current Li-ion powered cars. If these batteries make it to market that could mean the Tesla Model S could go >3000 miles on a charge.
paulwesterberg 7:59PM (7/31/2009)
Screw 3000 miles, I don't ever want to drive 3000 miles in one day. Make the range 500 miles and cut the battery cost & weight by 6 times. I probably could get by with a range of 300 miles if I could quick charge a reasonable amount in one hour while I stop to eat.
PopSmith 2:08PM (8/01/2009)
I guess I worded my response wrong. Obviously no one is going to drive 3000 miles in a day (or without stopping). The reason I brought it up was because:
1) If the same size battery pack that is currently proposed for use in the Model S was a Lithium metal-air battery instead of Li-ion (I know this is all figuratively speaking) they could go 3000 miles on a charge.
2) Since a 3000 mile battery pack would be totally unnecessary they could reduce the size to 1/5 and have a light (for a battery) pack that could go 600 miles on a charge, which is more than enough for any trip plus plenty of "wiggle room".
luckytallguz 3:13PM (7/31/2009)
Yeah, great, you can put water into the car which uses very inefficient electrolysis that requires batteries in order to run an inefficient combustion engine. Best logic ever. Might as well skip a few steps and go battery --> motor and skip that whole "convert to hydrogen" step. Can the smart people still have their electric cars? Please?
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polo 10:26PM (7/31/2009)
"But if you're not exploding water droplets you might as well cut your balls off..cuz..cuz you aren't a man something isn't flaming and exploding a few inches from your crotch"
-Jesse James, as he speeds off in his 10foot dildo with painted piss streaks.
Tohe 2:51AM (8/01/2009)
Well I think these parade of douchebags fit seamlessly with all the rest of the hydrogen clowns : )
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Alan 3:23PM (7/31/2009)
Looks like ABG need more posts again, still that guy deserves a sigh and a shake of the head. I really can't wait to see the state of personal transportation in 10 years time, I'd put money on EVs having a significant amount of use if I was a betting man!
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Nick P. 3:26PM (7/31/2009)
OK Jesse James is the American Jeremy Clarkson: a hugely popular T.V petrolhead who fears being marginalized by EVs.
This is why we EV enthusiasts have to develop a new kind of TV heroes. Shelsea Sexton and John Wayland should be given a show to make everyone excited about EVs.
I would watch this anytime over Jesse James's he-man macho tatoo freak show.
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Rich 10:09AM (8/07/2009)
If this dope is the nearest thing we have to Clarkson, then America is bankrupt as far as wit is concerned.
John Rowell 3:26PM (7/31/2009)
News flash for James: The trend in hydrogen powered cars is to use a fuel cell and *electric* drivetrain, as opposed to burning hydrogen in an ICE. If you like explosions and want to be green, go with biodiesel or methane.
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Alan 4:19PM (7/31/2009)
Unfortunately there's a certain mindset in some people who are completely negative about a certain technology, normally because of price and/or capabilites, and often just because it's new or different. They tend to be quite vocal and they make these statements even when the fundamentals of the new technology are sound, in the long run, both physically and economically.
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Chris M 4:20PM (8/02/2009)
Unfortunately, there's a certain mindest in some people who are totally enamoured about certain new tehcnologies, mainly because it is new and exciting and has some interesting property they like. They tend to be quite vocal in pushing their favorite technology, trying to bring it to market well before it is ready, or worse, continuing to push it even when the alternatives are proven to be superior in almost every aspect.
An example was the early enthusiasm for magnetic bubble memory, which was faster than hard drives of that era, with no moving parts, and unlike RAM memory it could retain data without power. Unfortunately, it was also much more expensive than hard drives of equivalent capacity, and took up more space, and it was slower than other solid state memory devices. The development of flash memory chips which were smaller, faster, and cheaper, rendered magnetic bubble memory totally obsolete.
A more modern example is hydrogen fueled road vehicles.
Zeph 3:34PM (7/31/2009)
This is the sort of abject stupidity celebrity culture leads to. Just because someone has a big name dosen't, as Jesse so clearly demonstrates, mean that he has a valid opinion.
Want to save the ICE Jesse? Start talking about ethanol. That will give it a few more years. But if the ICE were so great factory's would use it for automation. The fact that they use electric engines for increased efficiency and reliability as well as simplicity of construction and operation should give even the most closed minded ICE fan a clue.
Once batteries can store enough energy to allow for a full day's driving and can charge in a night and last around 150 000 miles... well, on that day the ICE is officially obsolete. And we're getting very close to that day.
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vfx 3:48PM (7/31/2009)
I kinda feel sorry for him. A certified gear head who has seen by him own admission that everything his life has been built on is bad for the country, the enviroment and his children. Add to that he has to be a "Bad Boy" or he (thinks) he will loose his edge and perhaps his viewers. Jesse should look at Metallica. They cut their long Metal hair and went to group counseling (they even made a video of it) By all reports they kept thier fans happy by still making great music. Jessie has a green diner across the street from his shop and cares a lot about what the earth. Too bad for all those oil burning machines he sells every day.
He called the Tesla a "not as nice Elise". By what criteria? Stying?
Since the Tesla has an ungraded interior over any Lotus and is a much faster car but the extra battery weight makes it slower through turns so is THAT the definition of "not as nice"?
A guy who rides bikes that look cool but are incredibly incredibly impractical to ride with raised arms and uncomfortable body positions and pretty much only go in a straight line has a problem with a Tesla?
Sandy should buy one.
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