I knew that "fuel cell" technology was in development, but . . .

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Rodger Tellefson

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I didn't know it was this close to being on the market. :eek:

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Chevrolet is committed to bringing you drivable and practical vehicles that decrease our energy dependence and reduce our emissions. And now, as part of a market test, we’re bringing you a real-world vehicle with fuel cell propulsion technology. Announcing the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell. It uses the same breakthrough propulsion system that powers our advanced Chevrolet Sequel concept vehicle.



Fuel cell technology is seamlessly integrated with all of the comfort and safety of Chevrolet’s current-production, gasoline-powered Equinox. The biggest difference is that Equinox Fuel Cell doesn’t run on gasoline. Still, it is fully functional, carrying up to four occupants and their gear.(1) Plus, it’s engineered to reach a top speed of 100 mph.



Equinox Fuel Cell has been crash-tested and is designed to meet all applicable 2007 U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. And you will enjoy the benefits of driver and front passenger air bags(2), the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Traction Control, and OnStar. On the outside, you’ll notice premium Tricoat paint and unique styling that is distinctively Chevrolet.



This advanced vehicle puts us one drive closer to a future of sustainable transportation. And soon, we’ll be giving real consumers a chance to drive Equinox Fuel Cell in the test program Project Driveway.
 
I can't be the only one excited about this, can I?



Every step, whether small or not, in the direction of weaning ourselves from oil is a good step.
 
Since the exhaust is water vapor, wait until we start getting "Global wetting" by all the excess water being produced.





Tom
 
Caymen,



Funny. Someone will probably actually claim that. Of course, given that our world is a closed biosphere no "new" water is ever really produced...is it?



TJR
 
TJR,



Interesting point. First off, lets see how this is.



Is the Hydrogen extracted from water in the begining? If so, how much energy will it take to extract the hydrogen from the water?



Is the Hydrogen filtered from the air using a cold tower? If the Hydrogen is being pulled from the air, then we are actually now making water when create the water vapor?



Follow my thoughts?





Tom
 
Caymen, I see your point.



I was thinking that if hydrogen and oxygen are pulled from the air, and being put back as water vapor that it seemed that nothing new was actually produced. Just two chemicals in gaseous form put back into the air in their liquid form.



My main point was that what is water H20 goes from gas to vapor to liquid, all the time, with a general conservation in the matter, globally.



So for one to say that there is too much water vapor would be somewhat interesting. If it ever came to that, we could just stop producing the vapor, and in a short time things would revert to a more balanced state rather quickly, I suspect.



Later...

TJR
 
What if the streets stay so wet we slip and slide all the time,
Click to expand...



Living in Alberta with many months of winter I often wonder about this, if you have rush hour traffic with most of those vehicles emitting water and water vapour wouldn't you get a skating rink for a road?
 
I was thinking that if hydrogen and oxygen are pulled from the air, and being put back as water vapor that it seemed that nothing new was actually produced. Just two chemicals in gaseous form put back into the air in their liquid form.
Click to expand...



From my understanding, a fuel cell works by producing electricity when two hydrogen atoms are bonded with one oxygen atom. Water vapor is not hydrogen or oxygen. Water vapor in air is actually water.



While the earth is a closed environment, any water you produce will remain on earth.



My main point was that what is water H20 goes from gas to vapor to liquid, all the time, with a general conservation in the matter, globally.
Click to expand...



Very true. H2O from vapor, to a liquid, to a solid happens every day. New water is not being produced. Unless there is something about fuelcells that I do not understand.



If Fuel Cells produce water by a chemical reaction by a chemical reaction with hydrogen and oxygen taken from the air, then fuel cells have the ability to remove oxygen from the air we need and adds more water to our environment.





Tom
 
Caymen, if that happens, we just need to breath more, plant more trees, and let nature turn C02 in O...put another way, going green may force us to even more green if our planet becomes oxygen deprived.



TJR
 
I am not worried about it myself. I am just trying to understand how CO2, something that is natural as a result of life, can be bad. Water is a dangerous chemical that can kill.



I think it is all bunk.





Tom
 
The water that is expelled from the creation of the energy may not be dumped onto the road it could be stored in a tank on the vehicle untill it can be dumped elsewhere. Think about it you could water your plants at home with the wanter made by your car or you could use the water your car produces to wash said car.
 
Plant more trees....hmmm....seems tricky when conglomerate developers are destroying every tree they can to put in more overpriced townhomes.



We don't have enough trees as it is. Instead of attacking loggers and car manufacturers, maybe the environmental nutjobs, who seem to have the ear of the government, should attack the true villians, the home builders.



Destruction of scenic outlooks, deforestation, pollution, ecosystem damage, overpopulation...all things that those nuts care about, yet are doing nothing about.



For the rest of us, who wouldn't give our lives so that a sapling may live, not only would we do the good of keeping the environment, but we'd cut down on the amount of poorly constructed homes, and certainly on illegal immigration.



And Bush and the base relocation is only making matters worse :(
 
Kevin, Iam with you on the homes thing. Most Americans, with good income, buy homes 30% or more larger than they need. I guess it is the MCDs'super size mentality. The bad thing about the rain forrest and the USA forest, is the the Japanese are cutting them down, 10 times faster than any other country.
 
I thought I saw a commercial on Honda's new Fuel Cell car the other day. I'll have to check their site.



Ok, runs on Natural Gas.



The question is how much materials are used to create such a car? I can see that argument coming.
 
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