Mobil first presents the potential revolutionary impact fuel cell vehicles could have on the environment, in curbing automotive emissions drastically and transforming the automotive industry to one that is environmentally friendly. Mobil tempers its excitement by indicating that technological obstacles must be overcome in order to allow for fuel cells to become a practical reality. This technology already has a head start on the others. Prototype light-duty vehicles powered by methanol have been built, but they do not yet meet customer needs.
Methanol has problems, though.
It's toxic to humans and soluble in groundwater, raising concerns among many. And it, too, would require a significant new infrastructure. Unfortunately, in this effort to steer opinion, Mobil chose to bypass the high road by offering disparaging comments regarding methanol. Methanol is slightly more toxic than gasoline. The fatal range of ingestion for gasoline is 4 to 10 ounces, with methanol its 2 to 8 ounces.