Hydrogen Car To Be Tested On Uk Roads

[Raistlin]

A hydrogen fuel-cell powered car is to be tested on British roads by the public for the first time, it has been announced.

Thirty of the cars, which have a top speed of 50mph and can go 200 miles on one tank of hydrogen, will be leased to motorists in Leicester from spring 2012.

The two-seater car has been developed by Riversimple, a small British manufacturer based in Ludlow, Shropshire. The prototype was built at Silverstone, Northamptonshire.

If the trials are successful, the company will consider building a factory in Leicester which would employ 250 people and manufacture 5,000 of the cars each year.

The cars would not be sold but instead leased out to drivers for about £200 a month plus mileage.

So far the company has spent around £3 million developing the technology and the car, which goes from 0-30mph in 5.5 seconds and does the petrol-equivalent of 300 miles per gallon.

It has now signed a deal with Leicester City Council for a 12-month pilot which will see 30 of the cars rented out to private customers, businesses, car-share schemes and local government officials in the city.

Part of the project involves identifying suitable places for hydrogen pumps where drivers can refuel.

Hugo Spowers, the founder of Riversimple, said: "The age of fossil-fuelled cars may not be over yet but it is surely dying.

"Contrary to what we usually hear, sustainable, near pollution-free transport is possible, here and now, using existing technology."

[Red Yaris 54]

Remember Hindenburg!

http://www.airships.net/hindenburg/disaster

[Phoenix999]

Hydrogen power is something of 'old hat' in my area

A while back BP built a state of the art fuel filling station and had part of it set aside as a hydrogen refuel facility. The idea was to have public buses fill up there. This did work but the stupid thing was that the trial period ended and the hydrogen facility was ripped out.... how short sighted was that

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

[Bizarra]

Gives a whole different meaning to "Bombing along"

[Phoenix999]

Gives a whole different meaning to "Bombing along"

Oh good grief

[Sagitar]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

[Raistlin]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

Coz we will shortly run out of gas...

[Bizarra]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

Coz we will shortly run out of gas...

At last Raist is having a cork permanently inserted

[Raistlin]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

Coz we will shortly run out of gas...

At last Raist is having a cork permanently inserted

Cork... Is that an Irish thing :D

[Bizarra]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

Coz we will shortly run out of gas...

At last Raist is having a cork permanently inserted

Cork... Is that an Irish thing :D

The Irish "Cork" would be rather painful even for you, I think

[Raistlin]

I can take it... I'm special :D

[Phoenix999]

I have no idea if something similar will return but it is surely the way to go for the internal combustion engine

Why do you think that is?

OK....

Petrol/Diesel = dirty & polluting = not much left

Hydrogen = virtually pollution free = limitless supplies

I think that is enough