[geeks] electric cars

[der Mouse]

>> It seems that using recent biomass fuels in a hybrid electric might
>> be a better solution, at least for certain kinds of vehicles, areas,
>> and usage patterns.  I don't think hydrogen is a great idea so far.
> Hydrogen is a glorified battery, not a fuel.

Well, I could nitpick, but in this context I suppose that's acceptable.

> There are supposed to be methods on the way to produce it more
> efficiently, but for the most part hydrogen is generated by
> electrolysis of water and of course the electricity mostly comes from
> coal and thus you're really just charging the car.

> It's an EFFICIENT storage battery, but it's basically a storage
> battery.

The same is equally true of traditional oil; it's just a storage
battery with a very long discharge time.  (The energy in fossil fuels
is stored sunlight.)

Perhaps someone will engineer bacteria to live off assorted trash (eg
the stuff they've been making biodiesel from) and give off hydrogen.
If it can be done with enough efficiency, it could make hydrogen a
viable automative fuel from an energy perspective.

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