BMW Steps on the (Hydrogen) Gas - 11/3/06

This month BMW plans to unveil its BMW Hydrogen 7.  There will only be 100 produced with a total of 25 coming to the US only being allowed to “ideal ambassadors.”  They might have to pay a fee every month just for the privilege of driving them.  Plus there are very few hydrogen fueling stations on America so most of us are out of luck. 

This car is being thought of as a hydro-hybrid.  There are two separate gas tanks.  There is a tank for gasoline and one for hydrogen.   While one is driving along, with the push of a button, one can switch back and forth. 

It wasn’t until recently that BMW went for the hydro-hybrid car.  They had been working on a hydrogen fuel cell car.  They learned that with fuel cell only that it was an all or nothing deal.  Plus with the need of a massive infrastructure of hydrogen-fueling stations for the drivers to be happy with the clean vehicles this is really not an option for the general public.

The hybrid is operational.  Toyota has their Prius which is a gas-electric hybrid.  There is a waiting line for this vehicle now compared to 2002 when they were still new and unusual.  This was just the beginning.  Mazda is testing their own type of vehicle also called the RX-8.  Consumers are happier to have choices.  One day families should have the choice of many different fueling options.

We produce around 50 million tons of hydrogen which is enough to power 200 million hydrogen cars.  It is going to take time and money to have a future full of hydrogen vehicles but it shouldn’t take as many greenbacks as you think.  The more we have hydrogen cars like the Hydrogen 7 the more we will see stations that supply them. 

It will take some time but slowly it will happen.

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