Alternative Transportation and Energy Expo Debuts Electric and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

Dozens and dozens of electric and fuel cell powered cars zipped around Santa Monica in enthusiastic test drives at the 2010 Alternative Transportation & Energy Expo, and yet the only remarkable noise was an errantly tripped car alarm. When the disturbing alarm was finally quelled, everybody applauded. Electric and hydrogen cars simply don't make roaring engine noises. From what was seen and not heard at the AltCar Expo, the whoosh of tire rubber on asphalt is the sound of the future.

Every serious manufacturer of alternative energy vehicles rolled out their brainstorm products at this exposition which featured cars, busses, trucks, SUVs and bicycles. Progressive and environmentally minded drivers got their hands on the much anticipated Nissan Leaf, the touted Chevrolet Volt, the next generation Toyota Prius, the new Honda Insight, the Ford Focus Electric, the rare Daimler Mercedes-Benz F-Cell, the urban Think, the electric Mini, the fun Wheego and perhaps the sleeper of the show, the electric CODA from a private car company located right in Santa Monica, California.

If today's technology is the gas-electric hybrid engine, then tomorrow's technology is the all electric plug-in system which utilizes existing infrastructure from the energy grid. The next "next" thing is hydrogen fuel cell technology which calls for a new type of filling station. Ironically, this presents a back-to-the-future concept, as efficient fuel cells were developed generations ago, in the heady days of the Space Race.

In the all-electric category, the Nissan Leaf appeared to be attracting the most attention at the AltCar Expo. Test drivers seemed unconvinced that the motor was actually engaged in the absence of engine noise as they weaved around a practice course knocking down plastic cones in anticipation of getting the Leaf out onto city streets. Style wise, the Leaf blends in as an understated 4-door compact and probably won't turn many heads. Its domestic competitor, the Chevrolet Volt, isn't much sexier. Despite its snazzy name, the Volt is also a standard looking 4-door compact. More troubling is the Volt's dashboard instrumentation. It is a pimpled panel lacking intuitive controls for a driver concentrating on the road ahead. Maybe there will be a redesign soon.

Also in the all-electric category, the little known CODA is an attractive sedan. Although not available for test driving at the AltCar Expo, the floor model on view was substantial and roomy. It has a full size trunk, unlike the Honda Civic with its ridiculous trunkette. The CODA is a zero emission vehicle with a driving range of 90 to 120 miles per single charge to its lithium-ion battery and a recharge time of about 6 hours from a 220 volt source. However, it is reported to be in the pricey range, as may be expected from a small privately held auto company. If the CODA catches on, perhaps it can be priced competitively.

A zero emission battery electric vehicle that has caught on in urban settings is the Think, a 2-door hatchback measuring just over 10 feet long. Studies show that about 75% of city driving consists of errands within 5 miles of home. The Think was designed to address such driving. It is built in Finland and the company is opening a production plant in Elkhart, Indiana. It has a top speed of about 70 mph with a range of 112 miles on a single charge and a recharge time of 8 to 10 hours at 220 volts. The manufacturer estimates the operating cost at about 2 cents per mile.

Vehicles aiming at hydrogen fuel cell technology excite the imagination with their promise of maximum performance and minimal environmental impact. Hydrogen is a common natural element and it is harnessed by separating its molecule from other bonded molecules, usually found in water or natural gas. Four gallons of water are the approximate equivalent of one kilogram of hydrogen. Fuel cells store and distribute hydrogen energy. Unlike batteries, fuel cells do not require recharging. The emission from fuel cell vehicles is only heated water, not exhaust. Currently, there are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations in California and most of them are for private fleet vehicles, but more public stations are planned for construction in the near future. The Department of Energy and Honda are working on the issue of home refueling with the goal of making fuel cells as consumer friendly as rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Several fortunate drivers of diverse prototype models of hydrogen powered vehicles shared their experience at AltCar Expo. One such driver, Jackie Keller, described herself as a strong environmentalist and said that the Honda FCX Clarity is the "most exciting thing to happen to me in my car life." Keller stressed the sheer luxury of the car, its rapid acceleration, the excellent air conditioning system and its bio-friendly interior. She is one of the few people who actually obtained a lease on the vehicle, as it is not yet available for sale. Having seen the Clarity in a car show, Keller put her name on a list and waited 3 years for the opportunity. The lease is $600 a month. Her windshield is often festooned with notes saying, "If you ever want to relinquish your lease, I will gladly take it over." Her range with the car is about 200 miles between refills. Fuel is costing about twice the current price of petroleum gas, but Keller is looking forward to more prevalent stations with lower cost and hopes that home refueling technology becomes available before her lease expires.

Another experimental driver, Tim Brown, is associated with the University of California at Irvine and his experience is with Toyota's hydrogen models. The University first took delivery of 7 such vehicles back in 2002. Brown has been driving about 300 miles between refills, with freeway speeds of 80 mph. The fuel cost is $12 per kilogram, or the equivalent of about $6 per gallon of gas. His projection for the next generation of fuel cell vehicles is the equivalent of $3.50 per gallon, which is in parity with current petroleum gas pricing. Brown addressed the safety issue of such technology and the fact that hydrogen is under extreme pressure. The tanks on these vehicles are literally bullet proof (yes, they actually have shot bullets at them) and are designed not to rupture, but instead to release pressure through a valve if necessary. Hydrogen is lighter than air, so it rises rather than pooling under a vehicle like liquid gas. If it were to ignite, the full contents of a hydrogen car tank would expire in 3 minutes. There is no radiant heat from hydrogen fire and once the fuel is gone, the fire is gone. Brown emphasized this is vastly safer than a gas fire, which can engulf a vehicle and continue to burn.

General Motors recently sponsored a program called Project Driveway in Los Angeles, Orange County, New York and Washington, D.C. to test hydrogen vehicles in real world conditions. Stephanie White was a participant in the program who drove a Chevy Equinox equipped with fuel cell technology and she called it "the best present you've ever received in your life times 100." She drove as much as 18,000 miles during the test period and ranged between 180 and 200 miles before refills. She estimated an average equivalent to 50 mpg. Friends were extremely skeptical of the potential performance of the Chevy, but once they got behind the wheel and felt the "huge tork and the speed," White said their doubts went away. She feels that a paradigm shift from petroleum fuel to hydrogen will be spearheaded by 3 sectors; the environmental community, people excited by technology and car lovers. "This is not a science experiment," she states.

Chris White, spokesperson for the California Fuel Cell Partnership, predicted that hydrogen fuel will be the prevailing technology in the next 5 years. She acknowledged that water may not be the optimum source of hydrogen in a state like California, where water is a scarce and precious agricultural and urban commodity. But she emphasized that hydrogen is an attractive renewable energy source primarily because there are multiple methods known for extracting it from other prevalent and natural sources.

There are many roads leading us into the future and events like the AltCar Expo can help us choose the best routes.