He cited tests where hydrogen gas tanks were exploded and ignited, and invariably the flame went upwards and didn't burn very hot. The back windows, for example, would not typically be damaged in a hydrogen tank fire, whereas in a gasoline tank fire, the back windows usually melt. Notwithstanding the cost of building an entire fuel infrastructure for hydrogen, the biggest problem hydrogen fuel has may end up being a public perception that it is too dangerous to handle. We left that day not sure whether or not we'd found the car of the future. Hydrogen fuel cell powered cars will be part of the market, but they probably won't sit in everyone's garages, owning the car market the way gasoline powered cars do today.
Hybrids have better range and overall performance, and they're already cheap to manufacture.
Expect to see more of them in the near future. What will emerge in the long run is anybody's guess. Outside the U.S., cleaner burning cars using conventional fuels such as diesel and gasoline will probably stay on top of the market. EcoWorld , All Rights Reserved EcoWorld and EcoWorld Tours are registered Trademarks of EcoWorld Inc.