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From TA: "the company has consistently argued that a longer-term fix for global warming should be a mix of hybrids, EVs and hydrogen-powered vehicles instead of

From TA: "the company has consistently argued that a longer-term fix for global warming should be a mix of hybrids, EVs and hydrogen-powered vehicles instead of a single bet on battery-powered cars." I think this is probably a good call if they want to play the long game. Some places will simply fail to create the infrastructure for EV and that's where hybrids come in the short run. EVs will take off and hydrogen is in theory superior to batteries for range and space, has a huge potential they probably don't want to miss out.

thehappypm 5y ago
Hydrogen has a much bigger hurdle: infrastructure. EVs need the same power lines that every country uses. Hydrogen (and natural gas, and oil, for that matter) require a second parallel set of infrastructure. That makes a big difference as far as appeal. If I'm India, I'd rather have a beefier electrical system than maintain an electrical system AND a hydrogen pipeline system.
- tomtimtall 5y ago
  > I'd rather have a beefier electrical system than maintain an electrical system AND a hydrogen pipeline system. Sure, but so what? India is not dependent on you personally maintaining a hydrogen infrastructure and this narrow-minded “there can be only one way” would not just have us staying on fossil fuels because “why maintain both gas AND electric?” It wouldn’t even have us providing both gas and diesel by the same argument.
  - thehappypm 5y ago
    It's not a narrow-minded approach, it's a cost-oriented approach. If you want renewables to win, cost is EVERYTHING. Electric infrastructure is not net new. It's plug and play. That's a massive, massive benefit.
- wil421 5y ago
  Lots of buses, delivery vehicles, and trash trucks around me have propane stickers. Not sure where the fueling station around me but I used to live 5 minutes from one in my old house. All they need it storage and trucks to supply them. Same as gas or propane. Lots of people in the country get their natural gas delivered and it’s no big deal.
  - aitchnyu 5y ago
    Can home/apartment equipment fill a gas tank of a vehicle?
    - wil421 5y ago
      Yes if you have space for a tank. Plenty of trucks have gas tanks you can put in the bed for fueling diesel equipment. Lots of farms also have above ground gas tanks to fill farm equipment. Not sure it would be legal in a place like NYC or Manhattan but I’m sure it’s legal in more spread out cities like LA.
- letitbeirie 5y ago
  > Hydrogen has a much bigger hurdle: infrastructure It has an even bigger hurdle than that: direct solar water-to-hydrogen isn't scalable (yet) and hydrogen is a petrochemical until it is.
  - zardo 5y ago
    Thats not a hurdle, that's the reason to pursue hydrogen, it maintains the market positions of existing oil companies.

thehappypm 5y ago

Hydrogen has a much bigger hurdle: infrastructure. EVs need the same power lines that every country uses. Hydrogen (and natural gas, and oil, for that matter) require a second parallel set of infrastructure. That makes a big difference as far as appeal. If I'm India, I'd rather have a beefier electrical system than maintain an electrical system AND a hydrogen pipeline system.

tomtimtall 5y ago
> I'd rather have a beefier electrical system than maintain an electrical system AND a hydrogen pipeline system. Sure, but so what? India is not dependent on you personally maintaining a hydrogen infrastructure and this narrow-minded “there can be only one way” would not just have us staying on fossil fuels because “why maintain both gas AND electric?” It wouldn’t even have us providing both gas and diesel by the same argument.
- thehappypm 5y ago
  It's not a narrow-minded approach, it's a cost-oriented approach. If you want renewables to win, cost is EVERYTHING. Electric infrastructure is not net new. It's plug and play. That's a massive, massive benefit.
wil421 5y ago
Lots of buses, delivery vehicles, and trash trucks around me have propane stickers. Not sure where the fueling station around me but I used to live 5 minutes from one in my old house. All they need it storage and trucks to supply them. Same as gas or propane. Lots of people in the country get their natural gas delivered and it’s no big deal.
- aitchnyu 5y ago
  Can home/apartment equipment fill a gas tank of a vehicle?
  - wil421 5y ago
    Yes if you have space for a tank. Plenty of trucks have gas tanks you can put in the bed for fueling diesel equipment. Lots of farms also have above ground gas tanks to fill farm equipment. Not sure it would be legal in a place like NYC or Manhattan but I’m sure it’s legal in more spread out cities like LA.
letitbeirie 5y ago
> Hydrogen has a much bigger hurdle: infrastructure It has an even bigger hurdle than that: direct solar water-to-hydrogen isn't scalable (yet) and hydrogen is a petrochemical until it is.
- zardo 5y ago
  Thats not a hurdle, that's the reason to pursue hydrogen, it maintains the market positions of existing oil companies.