This article discusses how Japanese carmakers (like Toyota) are leading the way for an affordable hydrogen fuel cell car. These cars are very environmentally friendly, since they produce zero emissions. In Japan’s effort to reduce their carbon emissions 80% by 2050, they have become the leader in fuel cell technology. Toyota’s goal is to make an affordable hydrogen fuel cell car by 2015.
These cars are ideal for long distance driving. The range of a hydrogen fuel cell car is already more than five hundred miles on one tank, which tops both electric and hybrid car ranges. The problem is "You can't have fuel cell vehicles without the infrastructure, and you can't have infrastructure without fuel cell vehicles.” Japan’s government is helping by subsidizing fuel cell development and infrastructure. Each (hydrogen fueling) station costs 5 to 6 million dollars to build and Japan plans to build 40 to 50 more stations in the next five years. These stations are also being built in California, Germany, and South Korea.
Even though hydrogen fuel cars do not emit carbon pollution, they do produce water as a byproduct. This is a result of hydrogen fuel and oxygen flowing over the fuel cell stack to produce electricity to run the motor. Currently, the cost of a hydrogen fuel cell car is about one million dollars, so Japan still a ways to go before it’s deemed “affordable”, for non-millionaires.
I believe hydrogen cars are the best option for a long term sustainable car. Electric cars don’t the range and hybrids still depend partially on oil, so it better serves as a transitional car. Hydrogen fuel cell cars would stop automobile carbon emissions, so carbon footprints of countries would become smaller leaving future generations better off.
--Melanie Dorsett
