Hydrogen Vehicles Available For Test Drive |
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Anthony Fontanelle
March 21, 2007
Alternative fuels are slowly gaining more and more public support, thanks to the increasing awareness of environmental protection. More and more car manufacturers are pouring in a lot of money in the development of vehicles that will run on alternative fuels. Currently, some alternative fuels that are being developed include the likes of ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, and hydrogen. These fuels are cleaner than petroleum products. These also come from renewable energy sources unlike gasoline and diesel which comes from non-renewable fossil fuels.
One of the most promising alternative fuels because of its zero emission quality is hydrogen. Aside from the fact that it produces only water when used as fuel, hydrogen is also abundant in nature. While it may seem that hydrogen used as fuel seems more like theory instead of reality to many motorists, there are already hydrogen powered cars developed by car manufacturers.
These vehicles will be available for test drives when the Texas H2 Coalition unveils several hydrogen powered cars in Austin. The vehicles will be available for drivers who want to experience driving a car of the future. The event facilitated by the organization promoting hydrogen as fuel of the future is free to the public. It is aimed to display the current technologies developed by car makers in using hydrogen as fuel. Aside from the performance of these cars, the event will also showcase how these vehicles can be refueled.
Vehicles that will be showcased and available for test drives at the event come from car makers like BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, and General Motors. A valid driver’s license is the only requirement for those who wants to take a ride on these vehicles.
Pete Parsons Marshall, the Executive Director of the Texas H2 Coalition, has this to say about the event: “Hydrogen fueled vehicles are swiftly becoming a reality. They are not something that is off in the distant future. The challenge now is just finding ways to create an infrastructure that will support them.” This is the current problem being faced by advocates for the use of hydrogen as fuel. Without facilities to refuel hydrogen vehicles across the country, car buyers will not buy them even if they are fuel efficient and eco-friendly.
On the other hand, without the numerous hydrogen vehicles on the road, businessmen will not invest on putting up hydrogen refueling facilities which will definitely require a lot of capital. In this regard, the government should take steps to solve this chicken-and-egg problem. If no steps are taken to promote the construction of hydrogen refueling facilities, the capability of hydrogen as a potent substitute to gasoline or diesel will remain stuck in its developmental stage just like how Chrysler’s Eagle brand, with its Eagle cold air intake system, met its doom.
Source: Amazines.com