Do hydrogen cell cars or even hybrids actually help the environment?

Question

I've heard that many technologies that reduce emissions involve so much required energy to produce them in the first place that there is actually more energy needed. Also, with the plug-in variety of cars, unless the energy comes from a nuclear or renewable source, nautral gas, oil, or coal are going to be required to charge those cars batteries.

Answer 1

Hydrogen fuel cell cars are not yet viable, but hybrids certainly are.

I suppose that one could look at the power and environmental cost of adding lithium batteries to the debate of energy saving, BUT I would ask you to consider this:
- The REAL savings of hybrids is to reduce the use of gasoline to the owner by increasing milage. That saves money, emissions and is clearly a better path than SUVs. Many automakers are SUV dependent for thei sales and will market negatve ads until they catch up.
- It intuitively costs more to build a hybrid, including battery cost and manufacturing. It is not perfect, but the right direction. RIght now, I would rather see them make lithium batteries than sell more gasoline.
- It is not the erfect solution, but it is the right direction. Same argument for hydrogen fuel cells. I dread the day that the world is limited for gasoline withut a viable solution.
- Right now, hybrids use gasoline, they could easily be engineered to use fuel cell, ethanol, propane, or other power. It is a good directon...
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Your point about recharagable electric for hybrids or electric cars is good too, why defer the emission cost to another polluter? The real answer is what you said...renewable sources may also be used for that, but that is an evolutionary step also.

Answer 2

Hydrogen cars will help the environment most when they roll out since there are zero emissions with hydrogen cars. The current problem is with building an infrastructure to produce, store and transport hydrogen. General Motors and General Electric are both working on small-scale hydrogen generators to produce hydrogen from water economically that may be used at both gasoline stations and in people’s garages, which may address this issue.

Other vehicles such as some hybrids including the Toyota Prius are partial zero emission vehicles (PZEV) or non-hybrids such as the Nissan Sentra are super ultra low emission vehicles (SULEV), which both help cut down on emissions.

Also, hybrids help the environment by getting better mpg (over 60mpg city for the Prius) so less emissions are being cranked into the atmosphere. In regards to plug-in hybrids, both General Motors and Toyota are developing models that they are expected to showcase in 2007.

Burning coal is also getting cleaner as emissions from plants has been coming down over the past 20 years as new technology and regulations have come to the forefront. Also, there is a new clean coal initiative called FutureGen that will not only clean up coal emissions but produce hydrogen as a byproduct, which may be used in hydrogen cars.

Answer 3

Yes it typically does cost more energy. However you also have to understand that the pollution that is created is now centralized and can be contained instead of having millions of cars out on the road, each a little pollution creator.

Also from the industral stand point, you can create the power plant in "someone elses back yard" (ie Mexico, and pollute the air, water and soil in Mexico) while running some electrical lines to the US to keep the US clean. (At least that's the thinking of many).

So more pollution, yeah, but the pollution is not in "my back yard" and the pollution is more centrally contained in one location.

Answer 4

You're right, these cars aren't as environmentally-friendly as they may seem, and along with the price tag, make you wonder if they're really worth it. My opinion is no. There are better, more environmentally sound methods of transportation available.

Answer 5

sure