Is there a future in hydrogen powered vehicles? Toyota announced a new car with a 516 mile range [guardian.co.uk]. It uses a single tank of fuel stored at -22 degrees Fahrenheit. But is this practical or dangerous? Would Americans ever be willing to drive one of these vehichles?
Maybe not, but hydrogen power is already coming into use in American buses and trucks by means of hydrogen fuel injection (HFI). Electrolysis is used to split hydrogen and oxygen from water and fed directly into the intake of a diesel engine, increasing efficiency and decreasing pollution [foxbuisiness.com]. Similar technology, delivering more power and an extra 5mpg, is under development for gas engines [ky3.com].
Are these two developments a sign that we will move to hydrogen powered cars? And if we do, what will become of our existing gasoline distribution infrastructure?
Glass microspheres [ceramics.org] can be used to safely transport hydrogen and can be made to flow like a liquid. This means you could potentially get your hydrogen fuel from existing pumps.
However, some alterations would need to be made. This new system would require you to empty your tank of the spent glass microspheres before you could refuel.