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Hydrogen is very inefficient compared to using electricity (more) directly via a battery. The fueling is relatively fast, in rare locales where the stations are

by natch 7y ago

Hydrogen is very inefficient compared to using electricity (more) directly via a battery. The fueling is relatively fast, in rare locales where the stations are available, but then fueling speed for electric vehicles is not an issue if it can be done at home and at fast chargers, which are highly available in many states of the US and a rapidly growing number of countries.

exabrial 7y ago
Yep,and as an engineer that's hard to imagine people that don't think of the efficiency as a primary feature. Efficiency misses the point, it's convenience: a 3 minute fill-up instead of a 60m fill-up.
- matthewdgreen 7y ago
  Convenience is being able to use a ubiquitous existing fuel distribution infrastructure, rather than traveling to one of a tiny number of stations. If your response is “well, that won’t matter once hydrogen fueling stations become common”, then you’ve identified the problem.
- natch 7y ago
  Since you mention a different point, let’s look at that. When you charge at home filling up takes 6 seconds: 3 to plug in, and 3 to disconnect. Sure in between these two 3-second periods you have dinner and sleep, but you were going to do that anyway. It’s not taking any extra time. This is the normal case for most owners day to day. Putting your priority of convenience first, I would take 6 seconds versus 3 minutes any day. So electric beats hydrogen by a factor of 30 on the metric you regard as more important.
beatgammit 7y ago
But fast chargers aren't particularly fast. If I'm going on a road trip aiming for 800-1000 miles in a day (we do that 1-2x/year visiting family), we'd have to recharge 2-4 times (depending on availability of chargers). Waiting 30min-1hr is a pain, especially when it's more than once per day. We also need to plan our stops based on availability of chargers instead of stopping when we feel like we need a rest. Electric is fantastic for around town driving, but it just seems so inconvenient for distance travel.
- natch 7y ago
  My personal experience has been much more positive than what you describe, but ok.

by natch 7y ago

exabrial 7y ago

Yep,and as an engineer that's hard to imagine people that don't think of the efficiency as a primary feature. Efficiency misses the point, it's convenience: a 3 minute fill-up instead of a 60m fill-up.

matthewdgreen 7y ago
Convenience is being able to use a ubiquitous existing fuel distribution infrastructure, rather than traveling to one of a tiny number of stations. If your response is “well, that won’t matter once hydrogen fueling stations become common”, then you’ve identified the problem.
natch 7y ago
Since you mention a different point, let’s look at that. When you charge at home filling up takes 6 seconds: 3 to plug in, and 3 to disconnect. Sure in between these two 3-second periods you have dinner and sleep, but you were going to do that anyway. It’s not taking any extra time. This is the normal case for most owners day to day. Putting your priority of convenience first, I would take 6 seconds versus 3 minutes any day. So electric beats hydrogen by a factor of 30 on the metric you regard as more important.

beatgammit 7y ago

But fast chargers aren't particularly fast. If I'm going on a road trip aiming for 800-1000 miles in a day (we do that 1-2x/year visiting family), we'd have to recharge 2-4 times (depending on availability of chargers). Waiting 30min-1hr is a pain, especially when it's more than once per day. We also need to plan our stops based on availability of chargers instead of stopping when we feel like we need a rest. Electric is fantastic for around town driving, but it just seems so inconvenient for distance travel.

natch 7y ago
My personal experience has been much more positive than what you describe, but ok.