Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Toyota is stopping all sales of their FCEV car, the Mirai - because of the near total lack of working hydrogen fueling stations. And when the total energy cycle is considered, FCEV's will always be a fraction as efficient as a BEV; no matter where the hydrogen comes from.
Back on topic, sorta - here is the original Riversimple car:
.jpg)
It is not nearly as good as the Rasa. |
As a city car, the battery electric vehicle makes the most sense. But, for longer range and heavy payload vehicles, batteries become too bulky and expensive.
Most of the research in batteries is to improve charging rates so that the relatively short range of the BEV can be bridged over. The energy density of battery chemistry is already near it's limits. Cost, longevity and charging performance is the thrust of research.
But, not all chargers are created equal. A common 110v outlet will not allow you to do a 5 minute charge on a Tesla sized battery pack. This cuts down your charging choices greatly. Even 220v home chargers won't do this. Most public chargers still can't do this. However, the only real need for a rapid 5 minute charger is along the highway/freeway corridors.
So, it looks like battery solutions are the it!
Except in long haul, heavy payloads. The size and cost of a needed battery pack displaces your net vehicle weight limiting your profitability.
We always think of well to wheel efficiency because our primary power sources are largely dirty or limited as is the case with renewable energies. But if our primary power sources were cheap and clean and our renewable energy sources were plentiful, well to wheel efficiency becomes less of an issue. Using this power is all we need to think about. If batteries are not going to work for heavy, long haul situations, look for other solutions. And one of them could be a hydrogen solution. You can fuel up at the freight centers and along the traffic corridors. Well to wheel efficiency is not even the question with the right primary sources. All an operator needs to see is the costs.