Hydrogen EVs All the Rage at Auto Shows

It's been a big news week for electric cars, but it's specifically what's used to make the electricity for certain electric vehicles that's brought the headlines.
Honda, Hyundai and Toyota all announced they will have hydrogen-powered cars for sale by 2015. The news was made during media days for the Los Angeles and Tokyo auto shows, both of which open to the public this weekend. Hyundai went a step further and said their hydrogen car might be available as early as late 2014.
No absolute word yet on which Hyundai model will be sold as a hydrogen powered EV. Both Honda and Toyota showed futuristic prototypes of their planned hydro cars.
Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is a near-perfect fuel for an electric vehicle. The hydrogen, using a fuel cell, is used to produce electricity which drives the wheels and powers all other systems on the car, while the main exhaust is mere water vapor. Hydrogen can also be burned as a fuel for internal combustion engines, but the method planned for these cars are the fuel cell models. We're all familiar with fuel cells; they are the powerplants which have been used to produce electricity in spaceships for decades.
I drove a Honda Accord which had been converted by the factory to fuel-cell hydrogen power about four years ago in southern California, at a driving event where several manufacturers showed-off their efforts with the technology.
But we didn't drive at a race track or other closed course; we were on city streets and freeways. The experience was nearly the same as driving any electric car; extremely quiet and smooth with impressive power off the line.
Styling is an important aspect of EVs. Because engineers and stylists try to squeeze every mile per gallon as possible from the cars, EVs and their gas/electric hybrid cousins, tend to look alike, with skinny tires and similar shapes. The exception is the Tesla S grand touring sedan; more on that car below.
Of course the main problem with hydrogen, as it is with electric charging stations, is finding places where hydrogen is readily available. California has made a commitment of several billion dollars to develop over 100 hydrogen fueling stations, both stand-alone and by adding hydrogen as a choice at conventional gas stations.
In other EV news, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration announced an investigation into the all-electric, $100,000 Tesla S. Two of the cars caught fire in the past few weeks when debris on the highway evidently pierced the lithium ion battery packs on the cars (and a third Tesla S hit a wall in Mexico at over 100 miles an hour, but that car is not part of the NHTSA investigation).
Nissan has also announced a rise in production of their Leaf EV, made in Tennessee. Nissan execs said this is due to sales improvements following a price cut for one of the world's only mass-produced EVs.
source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-parker/hydrogen-evs-all-the-rage_b_4327258.html

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New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Provide Opportunity for HyperSolar's Renewable Hydrogen Technology

Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and other major auto manufacturers announce plans to introduce hydrogen fuel cell cars next yea

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov 25, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- HyperSolar, Inc. HYSR -7.69% , the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, today announced that it is evaluating commercial methods for onsite hydrogen production at distribution points or fueling stations to meet the demand created by the launch of fuel cell cars next year.

"We are strongly encouraged by the recent announcements of Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and other major auto manufacturers to begin shipping hydrogen fuel cell cars next year," stated Tim Young, CEO of HyperSolar. "We believe our technology can address two serious drawbacks impeding major adoption of hydrogen automobiles: First, the lack of hydrogen production infrastructure near the point of distribution or the fueling stations is addressed by our solar hydrogen production process. Second, hydrogen is currently produced from a fossil fuel--natural gas--in a process that releases substantial amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

"Our cutting-edge research program at the University of California, Santa Barbara, led by Dr. Syed Mubeen Hussaini, continues to make impressive progress," continued Young. "The recently announced 1.0 volt milestone is very exciting in that it provides us with a clear and encouraging roadmap to reach the 1.5 volts needed for water splitting. We believe that producing renewable hydrogen anywhere there is water and sunlight is the key to realizing cost-effective hydrogen production for use in fuel cell vehicles. Using our technology, hydrogen fueling stations could be built next to self-contained solar hydrogen production plants."

HyperSolar's research is centered on developing a low-cost and submersible hydrogen production particle that can split water molecules under the sun, emulating the core functions of photosynthesis. Each particle is a complete hydrogen generator that contains a novel high voltage solar cell bonded to chemical catalysts by a proprietary encapsulation coating. A video of an early proof-of-concept prototype can be viewed at http://hypersolar.com/application.php. HyperSolar recently extended its sponsored research agreement with UCSB to further the development.

More about hydrogen cars and hydrogen production challenges can be viewed in the following CBS news story: http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/Exk_Lg_Ube0jvnHeM9bZ3TwsZehZfda1/hydrogen-cars-take-center-stage-at-l-a-auto-show/

About HyperSolar, Inc.

HyperSolar is developing a breakthrough, low-cost technology to make renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, including seawater and wastewater. Unlike hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, where carbon dioxide and other contaminants are released into the atmosphere when used, hydrogen fuel usage produces pure water as the only byproduct. By optimizing the science of water electrolysis at the nano-level, our low-cost nanoparticles mimic photosynthesis to efficiently use sunlight to separate hydrogen from water to produce environmentally friendly renewable hydrogen. Using our low-cost method to produce renewable hydrogen, we intend to enable a world of distributed hydrogen production for renewable electricity and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. To learn more about HyperSolar, please visit our website at http://www.HyperSolar.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein, and while expected, there is no guarantee that we will attain the aforementioned anticipated developmental milestones. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product and distributor performance; the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company.

SOURCE: HyperSolar, Inc.

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Hydrogen-powered cars? Get excited.

The 2015 Hyundai Tucson is introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which is powered by hydrogen. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)

If you thought Elon Musk’s Tesla produced some of the most innovative vehicles in the world, wait until you see the new hydrogen-powered cars that were unveiled at the Los Angeles and Tokyo auto shows this month. Not only do these  hydrogen-powered vehicles boast the same sleek and futuristic styling of a Tesla, but they also have superior ranges and refueling times to those of battery-powered electric vehicles.
And that might be the biggest reason of all why hydrogen-powered cars could start entering the mainstream sooner than any of us thought – they behave much more like traditional gasoline-powered cars than do electric vehicles. They have estimated driving ranges and refueling times that resemble those of cars you already own. While it’s certainly nice that these hydrogen cars make no noise and release no carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, what’s even nicer is that an automaker such as Honda is promising that it will be possible to refill its ultra-futuristic FCEV in under 3 minutes and that these cars will have a range of up to 300 miles. Compare that to your typically electric vehicle, which can take hours to charge and may not get you anywhere near 300 miles.
From a consumer standpoint, factors like “range anxiety” matter. The current knock against electric vehicles is that they have limited range, and so when the battery runs out, you’re stuck. It was, after all, why Elon Musk conducted a very public war with the New York Times earlier this year over the alleged performance limitations of the Tesla Model S.

A charging plug is seen on a Hyundai Tucson. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

As with any potentially disruptive technology, there’s been a firestorm of controversy as automakers cluster into camps: those who advocate a future for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and those for electric vehicles. On one side, you have Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, all of whom have been making huge bets on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. On the other side, you have Volkswagen, GM, BMW, Nissan and Tesla – all of whom who argue vociferously against the new hydrogen-powered vehicles.
While it’s a tough fight to take on the likes of Elon Musk, whom Fortune just named as its 2013 Businessperson of the Year and whom The Atlantic lumped in the same innovator category as Leonardo da Vinci, it’s equally hard to argue against the fundamental science of the hydrogen-powered car. Quite simply, the better technology deserves to win. And it’s not like a bunch of quixotic start-ups are taking on Tesla with unproven technology – we’re talking about Toyota and Honda.
Not surprisingly, the argument against hydrogen vehicles is really an argument about “sunk costs.” In other words, vehicle makers have sunk so much money into developing the technology of electric vehicles and have spent a corresponding amount of time and money developing a charging network for electric vehicles that they claim it would be a terrible mistake to attempt to recreate the same fueling infrastructure for hydrogen-powered cars. That cost argument comes up again and again, especially since there are only a limited number of places in the United States that are currently equipped to refuel hydrogen-powered vehicles.
As Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn recently pointed out, this is the problem that has bedeviled electric car makers – you need a nationwide charging network for the cars, or else nobody’s going to buy the cars. As he sees it, we’re still a long ways off until we would have enough filling stations to make hydrogen-powered cars economically viable. In October, Elon Musk said that there’s “no way” that hydrogen-powered cars will ever become a workable technology.

Tetsuo Iwamura, executive vice president at Honda Motor Co. and president of American Honda Motor Co., stands on stage with the Honda FCEV concept vehicle during the L.A. Auto Show. (Jonathan Alcorn/Bloomberg)

However, the lack of infrastructure for hydrogen cars may not necessarily be the hurdle they are making it out to be. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Hydrogen car backers, for example, argue that they can achieve economies of scale with hydrogen-powered cars by equipping huge fleets of buses first and using that momentum to build out a more robust charging infrastructure. And, to showcase the performance capabilities of these cars, Aston Martin even created a hydrogen-powered racing car — the Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S. It’s more proof that you don’t have to sacrifice style and design when it comes to creating these vehicles. Imagine pulling up next to your neighbor’s stodgy four-door sedan with a Honda FCEV that looks like it came from the year 2033.
Ultimately, hydrogen vs. electric may end up polarizing consumers as much as the automakers themselves. Top Gear fans will endlessly debate the relative performance merits of the two types of cars, the MBAs and accountants will mull over the ROI cases for both technologies, government bureaucrats will review potential new subsidies for the cars and the people who actually want to save the environment as much as they want to drive cool cars will drill down on the underlying science of the cars’ technology. While hydrogen cars may still be some ways off from being a practical reality, it’s hard not to get excited about an automotive future that feature cars that look like they could be stars of their own science fiction movie.

source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/11/25/hydrogen-powered-cars-get-excited/

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