Honda has had fuel cell cars production ready for about a decade. It is now selling the Clarity in hydrogen fuel models.
Hyundai is the other manufacturer with a fuel cell production model…
Toyota has indicated that it believes hybrid/plug in electric vehicles are a interim solution to fossil fuel replacement. It also sees fuel cell vehicles as another interim solution, without the current drawbacks of battery systems, namely refueling (taking 40-50 minutes for rapid charge up to 18 hours for a standard charge). As more batteries are added to vehicles in attempt to increase range, recharge times are likely to increase. Fuel cells take about 5 minutes to fully refuel.
The Japanese and US government believe hydrogen is the long term solution as is supporting research and development of fuel cell technologies.
If Australia is ‘smart’, it should also be supporting similiar or colaborating with the Japenses and US on its research and development. The first to solve some of the current hydrogen fuel cell constraints, will benefit the most. Such constraints don’t appear to be insurmountable. With near ‘unlimited’ solar resources, Australia could easily become a world leading hydrogen fuel supplier.
