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Featured When fueling stations shut down for your natural-gas car: one reader's experience

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Ashlem, Dec 4, 2017.

  1. Ashlem

    Ashlem Senior Member

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    When fueling stations shut down for your natural-gas car: one reader's experience


    Why do I have the feeling that this is going to be the fate that hydrogen fuel cells will face? I doubt taxpayers will keep propping it up indefinitely with such low volume when said public money would be better spent on investing in public charging stations on public parking lots, along with private businesses putting them in their parking lots.

    It might work in Japan, since that country is only so big and they're heavily dependent on oil imports. But good luck convincing enough people in the US, and perhaps other geographically big countries, to fund rolling out a nationwide hydrogen fueling chain.

    I find it interesting that they were able to charge at home, though it says they wore out two such units too. A 240v electric car charging setup would be a lot cheaper by comparison, and would likely last longer since it doesn't need to work with high pressures, nor has any moving parts, which all things being equal, means less things to wear out and break down.
     
    #1 Ashlem, Dec 4, 2017
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    ng and h2 are a little too risky for my blood. i don't mind being an early adopter, but a battery is risky enough.
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 4, 2017
    scona and paprius4030 like this.
  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    There were cheaper options to Phil, but Honda had ended support to any home fueling near the end of the CNG Civic. Residential NG has water and other contaminants that while not an issue for home appliances, could rust out a car's fuel system. Separators could be added to the home pump, but increase the cost.

    The future is potentially worse for a hydrogen fuel cell car than the CNG ICE one. The ICE can be converted back to gasoline. It likely is based on a gasoline engine to begin with. Even factory made models, as opposed to an engine designed for natural gas. Then CNG cars still share plenty of other parts with an ICE sibling for the higher mileage examples.
     
    #3 Trollbait, Dec 4, 2017
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    No big deal. I'm not an expert, but the option should be there to convert from NG to LP. I think propane has about double the BTU energy per unit, but that should just be a minor modification to get the mixture correct.

    Regardless, that's the risk one takes when living on the edge!!
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Dec 4, 2017
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