At 4:30 you said that the oil industry would rather we didn't buy hydrogen cars, but then at 8:30 you said that the oil companies would have a lot of money to gain if we DID use hydrogen cars. So i don't really understand whether or not you think oil companies are for or against hydrogen.
Why hydrogen cars convert hydrogen to electricity to drive motors? It's more energy efficient to use the hydrogen directly. Also there's no reason why an electric car should cost 3 million (or equivalent) even 80 years ago considering that it doesn't use any more technology than your everyday car. Also the range of electric cars today is completely pathetic and it could be easily extended, but it isn't, because otherwise no 'new stuff' would come out every year to milk peoples wallets dry.
@WXIIIR Well if pathetic means 170km per charge which is most suitable for every day driving, then pathetic it is to your opinion. And hydrogen is not efficient, you'll need electricity to split hydrogen and water oxygen from water, you'll need to transport and pressurise the flammable hydrogen, then pump it in your Honda at 5000psi and the hydrogen is then converted to electricity. And that's more efficient than just making the electricity and plugging in?
@toyotaprius79 I didn't said hydrogen is efficient OR that an hydrogen car is more efficient than an electric car, so you comment is completely retarded.
i just want to say my problem with electric cars is the charge time and the range i dont have driveway and often cant park outside my own house so if i had an electric car where am i supposed to charge it since the nearest charging station that i know of is about 15 miles away. in the middle of know where and is therefore no use to me so electric cars a step in the right direction but not quite there yet
Minor point - currently almost all hydrogen is produced by reforming of natural gas (oil industry again) and NOT by electrolysis of water (which as you mention is extremely inefficient).
You're so right on the oil lobby, mate. Thing is that, from what i understand, electric cars are not that expensive because they use existing technology. Hydrogen cars are expensive because they don't. for that matter, production volume is important. because, as you know, 1 article is expensive because its price includes the massive money spent on designing it. 1 million articles don't cost that much, because engineering expenses are spread over. cellphones used to cost a fortune 25 years ago.
Yeah, I hated that episode of Top Gear too. The fact that they faked a breakdown of the battery-powered car to try and make it look unreliable when it had loads if charge left in the battery and was still fully functioning was just disgusting. But don't be so quick to dismiss the concept of Hydrogen fuel - yes, the fuel is highly dangerous, and the technology currently is eye-poppingly expensive - but there's potential there in the technology behind it all, just like with battery power.
I'm not sure I understand your point about equating the car manufactures and big oil. I understand that oil companies have a great deal of influence in important places, but if I was the CEO of Ford, I would be very wary of a competitor cornering the market on hydrogen fuel cars. Hence I have a vested interest in cracking the hydrogen car first and investing heavily in this technology. Is this fair?
Wat or quim at least once .this was very. Dissapointing as we had gathered specially for a night of your expletives to go with our tikka masala and babycham
Indeed, if only all electricity was produced in an enviromentally friendly way (not wind ...sorry) tidal & (gasp) hydroelectric (magnox) stations. NOW ....the future of fuel ....well ....Helium-3. Which I assure you ...given NASA's budget, we shant see the 'space elevator' for some time, but when we do .....the 1st thing you'll find people doing is *mining* the frozen surface moon for the precious Helium-3.
i watch mythbusters a lot and they've spoke about things like this aswell. also they have tested a lot of product claims that are supposed to increase mileage(bollocks lol)but i was impressed at some things that did work (which i why it pisses me off when they keep going on about hydrogen fuel) the first is cow dung lol. yes cow dung can fuel your car. the other which really got me was used cooking oil and the best thing about used cooking oil is no modification is needed to your car engine.
since you're so smart, why don't you go and design your own hydrogen car and sell it to the public. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love a hydrogen car.
I love when people use the price of newer underdeveloped technology as an argument against it. In 1961 a single microchip that now would cost a few pennies cost $32. That would be around $270 in today's funds. If it hadn't been for the Government pushing this new technology it would have never gone into mass production and we wouldn't have PC's or the internet and the ability to listen to idiots like this!
@bagelman00 New technology? Hardly, "the first fuel cell was demonstrated by Welsh scientist and barrister Sir William Robert Grove in the February 1839". Fuel cells were in use during the 60s for the space program. Photovoltaic cells have a similar historical time frame. Walmart sells solar panels, but I can't seem to find where they keep the fuel cells.
Thank you for this. I bought a Tesla for its performance and aesthetics 1st. Clean air and ozone are great, too. More important to me are the (geo)political influence of oil companies, i.e. Bush, Iraq, Saudis, GM, etc. Reviewers like Top Gear depend on advertisement from auto and parts companies. Gas cars need plugs, belts, oil, filters, coolant, and other stuff that need advertising. My car's industrial motor has one moving part and is designed to last for decades without any new parts.
You´ve forgotten one important .. nearly vital .. benefit of oil. It keeps the thousends and thousends of completly useless oil-princes quiet (including their countrys also only living from oil-money). What shall we do with all theese stupid and religious drunken fucks after the oil? Even Al-Qaida hasent that much bomb belts to blow them all up.
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srr you sir are an idiot , electricity is not good becouse the battery's are very expense and wil wear down very fast ( and wil not charge wel ) hydrogen wil be cheap in mass production . i'm an car engeneer and you man need to go learn to see te entire picture.
@diederik144 Being called an idiot by someone who can barely spell takes some of the sting out of the accusation. It may be that English is your 2nd language, in which case I apologize, but that does not forgive your total lack of understanding battery technology. They are rapidly getting cheaper, lighter, longer lasting, their energy density is increasing by 12% per year. Batteries will be cheap in mass production. Hydrogen will be a fuel we use in 50 years. Batteries work today.
@bobbyllew Be careful who you chastise on their use of English. "sting out of the accusation" - should be "sting from the accusation". "2nd" should be "second". "Apologize" should be "apologise". I could go on but I think you get the point.
@bobbyllew The only reason why people defend hidrogen or petrol over batteries is because you can't instantly refill. I know and it's a fact that you can instantly refill a battery (not every battery of course) to make it equally usable again OR even better, you can have standard batteries for all electric cars and have a machine replacing them on every 'petrol' station, and there you go. Problem solved. Very good comment and this comment of mine only adds to you being right.
Hydrogen: Presently, its worse than you suggest, squire! At the moment, most of it comes from natural gas, and gets used by oil refineries in cracking crude into lighter products. To make H2, you take CH4, destroy half its energy content, to create a gas which is damned difficult to store and energy intensive to compress. Spot on though: the issue is where the h2 comes from.
Just watching rob on "how it works" or whichever one it is... I'd also like to say OOp north in t'sheffield, I just watched on the local news that we spent £93 million on the nhs in one city on "air pollution" related illness which adds up to around 300 deaths per year from transport!
If we had 100% coal fired power in the uk, it would still be more efficient than millions of smaller fuel burners, Heat is recycled and the power is sent down power lines rather than petrol by trucks
whether you agree with the battery or hydrogen argument, the corruption is obvious and that's why everyone should favor this video. The big corps look down at us like peasants and will always bleed us dry unless people understand what is going on. Most people dont have a clue whats going on because they're kept busy and sucked in by all the crap on tv. sad state of affairs.
Isn't the point the point not just about oil companies, but more the technology? Is it not possible that a company not associated with the oil companies; 'I don't know like..Virgin.' might be able to do something with this technology???
i wonder why the oil companies who know they are screwed, do not invest money into electric car infrastructure like battery switch stations? such as the company "better place"! They are the world leaders at present and will own most power points at super markets and homes etc... I suppose the multinationals wish to leach out as much money from their present oil delivery systems as possible and jump on the electric wagon at the very last moment. :/
Agree with you on James May/Top Gear. I saw that episode too. Buy your hydrogen from the oil companies at the same price as regular fuel! Keeps us tied to them, nice one! There is a way to split hydrogen from water using instantaneous electrolysis. An idea that's been around since Faraday. Hydrogen can then be produced on demand, which you can then run a car on, only exhaust being water vapour, no need to store it under 5000psi. Just search 'Stanley Meyers' in youtube and see for yourself.
What an interesting comment. I don't know where you live, but even in the UK we only produce something like 4% of our electricity by burning oil. We use more natural gas, coal and nuclear than anything else, but there always wind, which is at about 5% now. You only need a small can of oil for lubrication for most power generation. We shouldn't import any oil
This is what I meant! Oil is needed for lubrication of moving parts! Also ofcourse, powerstations and power lines etc, have to be maintained, by people in vans and trucks! Also, as much as I like the electric car, and I do, I don't think our national grid could handle it if we all went over to them, not just yet anyway. I love the Tesla, they have shown electric cars don't have to look like a golf cart. I would like the model S saloon, have to wait for them to be a lot cheaper though!
You do need oil for lubrication, we import around £3 trillion worth of oil per year at present, if we only needed oil for lubrication, how much would that cost? I'd suggest around £5-10 million max. Plus if we didn't burn what we find in the North Sea, we don't need to import any. The maintenance of power lines, electric truck, check the Modec van, 100% electric. It could be done. The national grid needs upgrading anyway, we need to localise power gen, it would create 1000's of jobs too
That's all we need oil for. I couldn't agree more, and on the jobs front too. We would end up going through a 'Luddite' period as we switch from one tech to another but many of these people could find employment in the new industries. Check out those links I sent you, only take about 20 mins to get the basics. I think we would need a 'buffer' tech between the two and the hydrogen engines would provide that I think. It's a start isn't it!
You go girl!!! Totally agree, except that fuel cells will come down in price when mass produced, but probably not competitive. Energy wise, fuel cells don't make sense for commuters. But for long haul trucking it might work because they have long distance requirements.
Ever since your Carpool with Chelsea Sexton, I have become ever-so slightly obsessed with alternative-energy cars. I'm not a gearhead, I find driving my car (Berlingo 1.9d) from gig to gig mind-numbingly dull and I hate the expense it incurs. Therefore I've been posting everywhere that, should the Gods see fit, I'd love to get a Tesla someday.
There are passionate arguments for hydrogen, electric and hybrid options and, frankly, I'm loving it because this is an argument where everyone wins.
Charlie Boorman on his latest 'By any means' journey drove a bright green electric car (if my memory is correct here, it was electric) for part of his journey in Australia and was astounded how fast it went and how far it went. He said he couldn't quite believe that what he was driving was not a fossil fuel car. He was impressed. We need shows like that to portray things, rather than shows like Top Gear.
Obviously I am going to agree with you about tis. It is a very difficult dilemma the BBC have for themselves, a very popular show which supports one very biased view without any attempt at balance. I have driven many electric cars, they are quite simply better than Fossil
Agreed. With Mr Clarkson (how classy that sounds), as much as I kind of get a buzz out of his refreshing down to earth approach and trampling over politicial correctness, he has been proved to be completely wrong with his scoffings several times now to the point that people shouldn't automatically assume that just because Jeremy mocks it then it's rubbish. But as you say, the show has tremendous influencing power. Not only on cars, but about wider social issues it seems.
Normally not bothered by language but half that swearing was just gratuitous.
And he still couldn't be completely impartial about it. It's not as simple as he says. The UK for one is facing a potentially chronic energy shortage, if all cars were powered by electricity we wouldn't have anything to power the street lights. There's a reason that the power companies aren't lobbying to have electric cars (which would be immense for their business) it's because they can't cope with the demand.
I admit I don't know the difference between gratuitous swearing and just 'standard swearing.'
However what you say about power consumption is arrant nonsense. If we converted the entire private transport fleet to electric in this country, our total power consumption would only go up by around 6%, plus we would be using the redundant power production during low demand at night thus allowing the national grid to operate more effectively. 90% of your comment untrue.
There's not enough power as it is! We're already struggling and you want to up power consumption by 6%? It's not even clear how you would manage to produce so much electricity? What means are you going to use to produce it all? You're plucking numbers from thin air.
Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Maybe watch the carpool episode I did with Dale Vince from ecotricity, a man who knows a lot about wind power, the UK is a very windy place. we have 40% of the usable wind in Europe, we could generate far kore power than we use. It can be done, don't believe the pro fossil nonsense spouted by greedy, short sighted, powerful corporations
Oh, and ppl might be interested in a cool little 9 page study done in 2003 comparing the cost, performance, energy requirements, range etc of Electric Vehicles and Fuelcell vehicles.
Electric vehicles actually came out better.
And this was back in 2003, and since then they're got even better again!
Google for "A Cost Comparison of Fuel-Cell and Battery Electric Vehicles"
Hydrogen cars use 3x to 4x the amount of energy that Battery cars do.
It's not just the electrolysis that wastes a lot of enery - the hydrogen fuelcells themselves are not very efficient.
I wonder how the efficiency would compare to if you just explodes that hydrogen in an engine, which spins a generator.
IIRC Fuelcells are really expensive coz they use very rare and expensive Platinum in them. Unless they can one day figure a way of not needing Platinum, fuelcell cars are pretty fucked
That rant was fucking epic. As much as I love Top Gear, I hate it when they slag off people who drive electrics. They should get you in the reasonably priced car :D
Did you know that in the USA you get $7500 tax credit if you buy a Tesla car they have a Tax credit system for alternative fuel cars worth between $2500 and $7500!!
In The UK???? FUCK ALL!!!!!! Yes FUCK ALL. Well there's a supprise! NOT
I did my uni research essay on the peak oil, biofuels and hydrogen. H2 can also be made from petrol chemicals and also wind tech but like making H2 from water, it is not a energy efficient process. And it is expensive.
I agree no one is interested in making the move... everyone talks about it.. but without a serious commitment it will never happen.
Car + petrol chemical companies are scum.. look what they did with public transport in LA in the 50s and look what they did with the electric car!
That was brilliantly sophisticated aggression! It could have been even better with Prof. Vivian Alice character --- he's use of curse words is impeccabe! If ever in doubt, ask yourself, how would good professor say it ;)
dnt read this(cuz it really wrks). u will gt kissd on the nearest frieday by the love of ur life. 2mara wll b the bst day of ur life hwever if you dnt post ths comment 2 at least 3 vids u will die withn 2 days nw uv startd readn this dnt stp this is so scary snd ths ovr 2 5 vids in 143 mins when ur done press f6 nd ur crush's name will appear
When they mass-produce Hydrogen cars I think they will be more viable.
For now they aren't. Being able to refuel in less than a minute is the best reason to use it over electric, just fill and go. Costs more but more convenient.
I went to see a presentation by Schlumberger earlier today however and they said themselves that oil is going to stay for quite a while as they manage to create new technology to take more oil from reserves, we only get about 30% at the moment.
tut tut tut please dont confuse OPEC countries with the Oil Companies that Robert talks about...OPEC countries are not the world power, oil companies are (shell, BP, Exxon etc), they make over 20 BILLION dollors profit (note, PROFIT) per year EACH...thats enough power to have their representatives in each country actually influence government policies and alter laws etc....for every 100cent you spend on petrol 15 cent goes to OPEC, and the rest goes to oil companies and local TAX!! :)
It seems to go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, your general viewing public love your profane rants. Great viewing, keep it up Bobby. KBeast.xx
Good points well made n the government will never allow electric cars cos they wont get any money. When they earning fuck knows what from petrol per litre. lol. sorry accidently rated poor when i meant to pause it. Anyfloo well said bobby
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What I find amazing is that at no point does our mouthy friend here state how long it takes to recharge. The massive benefit of hydrogen and petrol powered vehicles is that it takes minutes to refuel.
As far as I can see eco rants should start by looking at the rubish they want to replace things with. Cars that can take 8hrs to charge, light bulbs that cost more to make, contain mercy, and have to be recycled abroad.
Many points well made. However once the switch to electric cars has been made and enough people own them, our greedy tax obsessed government will scrap the current emmisions tax system and and increase the tax on electric vehicles. Plus, have no doubt roadside charging points will charge a massive premium and home electricity bills will sky rocket. That will be inevitable. Battery, hydrogen or petrol the UK government will always have you by the balls. The corrupt bunch of..................
I want one of those Teslas so badly, it's the second thing on my wish list (after the driving license I'd need to drive the thing).
I understand why people are scared off by the price, but like you, and the curly-headed crazy Clarkson say, it's incredibly cheap to run, I would imagine the road tax would be pretty low due to the lack of polluting exhaust (unless I'm confused on this point) and... fuck me, they're gorgeous.
Oh, and driving a hydrogen car, I'd be afraid of excess explosion errors.
Ever thought of running for parliament Robert? or ever thought of burning down parliament and running for the rubble? (would probably be more effective)
Other question, under current opinions, who would you vote for at the next election?
Excellent rant by the way, showing the brits can hold their own in the "Ranting Liberal talking some sense" stakes :)
1: pure electric or "EV" , there are already several on the market ranging from $A40k-$A150k with ranges of 120km to 300 respectivly. Mitsubishi and a few others should have versions out in 12 months.
2: Plugable series hybrid. You can charge it off your house and if your only doing short trips it will run as an electric car (EV), as soon as you reach the range of the batteries a small motor starts and generates power to charge
For some strange reason non hydrogen electrics keep meeting tremendous resistance but the hydrogen fuelcell one had complete backing of a certain president, "Who killed the electic car", I followed the progress of that vehicle, its criminal what these people did. Nasa put an electric car on the moon in the 1970's, yet for some strange reason, we don't seem to have been able to follow on and improve the technology. Meanwhile look at the progress off PC's and mobiles.
I thought harnessing hydrogen power would be easy since it's the most abundant element in the universe. Why does it have to come from water? I guess if it's floating around in our air it's a lot harder to put to use or something..
The making of the Hydrogen is a bit of an issue but nowhere near as big an issue as the "Fuelcell"that is used to convert it into electricity. The fuelcell is made of platinum making them very expensive until we find another material thats cheaper and orks as well. A Hydrogen Fuelcell car is just an electric car with a Hydrigen tank and fuelcell instead of batteries. Average electric car A$50k average fuelcell electric apx $1mil. (for now)
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LIBERALS ARE ALWAYS PHYSICALLY UGLY. MALES AND FEMALES. WHY IS THIS? please respond to me, and please dont site the hollywood botox cologne guys and gals.
I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Your statement comes from another time and space continuum and I cannot translate. And why do you use upper case? DO YOU THINK IT MAKES YOUR STATEMENT HAVE SOME VALIDITY.I could just as well ask why all ignorant racist right wing bigots are fat and stupid. It's absurd, there's some very attractive right wing bigots around. Utter nonsense, try and grow up.
yeah, and I've invented a roadside scenic overlook/restaurant/brothel...the "Look-See -Eat-n-Fuck"...and my friend already has papers drawn for his "Stop-n-Piss", an Interstate rest stop with a very long "trough", if you will, alongside the parking area.
We all have our opinions, however, it pays to get the scientific facts before opening ones mouth.
I have a lot to do with Electrics, hybribs and Hydrogen vehicles, all these technologies have their good and bad points, just the same as petroleum vehicles. The important part is that we focus our efforts on the solving of the problems to give us the long term solutions that we so badly need. Prototypes always cost a fortune, especialy when the whole vehicle is new concept. ANS: Masproduction
I agree eco cars are bollocks, I like the power Hydrogen produces, although it has to be processed, it is naturally recycled and knackered batteries, well, arent. You still need a lot of precious metal; to make a battery and currently theyre still fucking heavy! in terms of power to weight ratio. If we had developed Hydrogen instead of petrol, the sand dwellers wouldn't have the clout they have today, and maybe, just maybe; we wouldnt have this pathetic conflict in the ME.
Great points. But what about the point that electric cars take a very long time to charge up? Would you say that the lasting time and efficiancy is worth the long wait to charge up a battery? Or will it encorage people to use public transport more?
Well said. Oil use, where we get it and who is making money from it are the most relevant issues to all of us at the moment - but it's never honestly discussed on the news (mainly bbc news for me).
The best description I have heard for hydrogen fuel cells is that it is essentially a way of "storing" energy. You use up energy to generate the hydrogen fuel cells that can then be distributed for use elsewhere. Even if it was 100% efficient (energy used = energy retrieved), you still used energy (most likely electricity).
We already generate electricity, have distribution systems in place.
Rantastic Mr Llewellyn, totally agree with your passionate monologue, have you Read Gridlock by Ben Elton? Just thought I'd Let you know that my hippie mate has made his own hydrogen hybrid car which has successfully increased the vehicles mpg by 15%.
Have a little faith in the eccentric Brittish inventor and may they be united on shed-tube where they can compare their sometimes not so hair brained schemes.
hear hear!!!! good to hear some straight talking. im a petrolhead and i drive a lotus, (still one of the most fuel efficient cars for performance) but im as frustrated as you are over the electric car situation.
A 5* and subscription worth rant, I just wish I had the money to buy a Tesla. In all seriousness though I'm gonna have to agree with SelfProtection95, we need some of this passion in places of power cos thats the only way you'll see any real change in the world.
its people like this that we need running the country no bull shit straight to the point kinda every man because those such as gordan brown who gradated from edinburgh university which you actual have to be picked to go to we broght up as middle/upper class and know nothing about the geeral public all he reeli cares about is his pay check at the end of the mounth
Good video ! So mmany people dont know where hydrogen comes from. They all think its clean which it is when you burn it but the energy it takes to create it is huge.
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I wholeheartedly agree. Liberals are the very scum of America that think they can negotiate with the people that wanna blow us up. Anti-American is what they are.
Well it's hard to tell where you stand since you posted 2 comments, each one stating a different viewpoint than the other, so I'm gonna have to fire back at your liberal side.
So why don't you go kill some babies or something?
Thanks to iPlayer I recently saw the 'North Pole race' episode of Top Gear. It was, I'm sure you'll agree, pretty fantastic from start to finish and extremely entertaining - but Clarkson had to ruin it all with the closing sentence (paraphrased) "look how beautiful this place is, we're not doing any damage after all", it was just a scratch on the surface I recall him saying.
I love to hate the guy, much like you, but that statement just made him sound like an utter cunt.
Thats how much a hydrogen car costs at the moment, its an emerging technology and the cars shown are prototypes, as it becomes more mainstream the price will come down to the price of todays everday car. You sir, are being ridiculous. Response? No. Because I am right!
Response, because you are wrong. Not about the cost of hydrogen cars coming down, that's basic maths and dull, but because it's in ineffective system of propulsion, it's too expensive, too reliant on massive infrastructure costs, and it's a nonsense propagated by oil companies to keep them in business, which is quite sensible for them, utterly ridiculous for the rest of us. You have fallen for the very well funded hype. Response, none, because you are wrong.
You're entitled to your opinion and I am merely expressing mine, time will tell who's is right. I do however genuinely believe that hydrogen cars are the future.
censored by Google's owners. Due to its truthfull content, and the fact that Googles funding is in all probailty derived by oil firms in the cloak of investment fund management firms. Veiw "who owns google" on you tube.
To the hydrogen/ethanol/etc. infrastructure wonks: look up "Project Better Place". Israel and San Francisco U.S.A. are beating all other infrastructures to the punch, with recharge and battery exchange systems. Forget service-station-only fill-ups; electric refills and exchanges are far more efficient, faster, and safer. Recharge stations could be in every parking lot and garage. Battery exchange stations could reach every grocery, shop, office, and home. Hydrogen is a costly joke.
I don't totally agree with your politics, but you're dead on with the eco-car crap. We need alternative fuels and what-not, but all this ethanol and hydrogen garbage is going to ruin us. Ethanol is killing the food supply, and hydrogen is expensive and dangerous. One of my best friends is actually working to turn black liquor from paper mills into a viable alternative fuel. It looks good so far, so here's hoping he can help squash the ethanol/hydrogen movement!
Thank you, I'm not sure what my politics are, particularly regarding the hydrogen/battery debate, but a picture is emerging. Ethanol is a cruel joke though, needs exposing.
You have to take a long term view Bob. Oil companies won't be able to supply oil forever, so they're looking at other ways of making fuels, and therefor money. Hydrogen could be the thing, but I suspect it's too troublesome. It would seem to make sense to supply 'carnergy' via the existing power network, but that just moves the energy production back to the power station. Coal, gas and oil-fired all exist now, but in 50 years I think we'll be all nuclear, bar some local-level green generation...
i understand your point but the honda is not sold in the uk because there are no hydrogen petrol stations, if there were, the car would be bought in kind of the same amounts as a toyota prius, its a horrible thing by the way, the toyota, but the honda would be purchased by some eco-freaks. and after that the government would tell us that they have run out of coal to make electricity and tell us to put a wind generator in our garden like that bloak you mentioned and we shall all be killed!
100% Robert. Goverments and large coprations have been hiding technolye for years. When it dose become known thay out price it. As for top gear lol i owne a few marina's. Enough said.
At 4:30 you said that the oil industry would rather we didn't buy hydrogen cars, but then at 8:30 you said that the oil companies would have a lot of money to gain if we DID use hydrogen cars. So i don't really understand whether or not you think oil companies are for or against hydrogen.
tkzz2 2 weeks ago
Why hydrogen cars convert hydrogen to electricity to drive motors? It's more energy efficient to use the hydrogen directly. Also there's no reason why an electric car should cost 3 million (or equivalent) even 80 years ago considering that it doesn't use any more technology than your everyday car. Also the range of electric cars today is completely pathetic and it could be easily extended, but it isn't, because otherwise no 'new stuff' would come out every year to milk peoples wallets dry.
WXIIIR 2 months ago
@WXIIIR Well if pathetic means 170km per charge which is most suitable for every day driving, then pathetic it is to your opinion. And hydrogen is not efficient, you'll need electricity to split hydrogen and water oxygen from water, you'll need to transport and pressurise the flammable hydrogen, then pump it in your Honda at 5000psi and the hydrogen is then converted to electricity. And that's more efficient than just making the electricity and plugging in?
+ Hydrogen is rare naturally on earth.
toyotaprius79 3 weeks ago
@toyotaprius79 I didn't said hydrogen is efficient OR that an hydrogen car is more efficient than an electric car, so you comment is completely retarded.
WXIIIR 3 weeks ago
i love it when he rants he gets it off his chest
searlena 2 months ago
i just want to say my problem with electric cars is the charge time and the range i dont have driveway and often cant park outside my own house so if i had an electric car where am i supposed to charge it since the nearest charging station that i know of is about 15 miles away. in the middle of know where and is therefore no use to me so electric cars a step in the right direction but not quite there yet
weirdstuffanimation7 3 months ago
Like the rant.
Minor point - currently almost all hydrogen is produced by reforming of natural gas (oil industry again) and NOT by electrolysis of water (which as you mention is extremely inefficient).
MaxwellsDaemon 3 months ago
You're so right on the oil lobby, mate. Thing is that, from what i understand, electric cars are not that expensive because they use existing technology. Hydrogen cars are expensive because they don't. for that matter, production volume is important. because, as you know, 1 article is expensive because its price includes the massive money spent on designing it. 1 million articles don't cost that much, because engineering expenses are spread over. cellphones used to cost a fortune 25 years ago.
zloychechen5150 4 months ago
by the way, arse-opening jaw dropping amount of power can be nuclear or wind/tide/solar-derived, so it's not a problem.
zloychechen5150 4 months ago
@zloychechen5150 the ultimate thing is that oil will run out, so who cares which companies will provide power?
zloychechen5150 4 months ago
You are brilliant man! Keep up with best work!
MrTkema 4 months ago
This is the BEST VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!!! Thanks Bobby!!
JRoque250 5 months ago
Yeah, I hated that episode of Top Gear too. The fact that they faked a breakdown of the battery-powered car to try and make it look unreliable when it had loads if charge left in the battery and was still fully functioning was just disgusting. But don't be so quick to dismiss the concept of Hydrogen fuel - yes, the fuel is highly dangerous, and the technology currently is eye-poppingly expensive - but there's potential there in the technology behind it all, just like with battery power.
FireFly209 7 months ago
ASS OPENING AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY!!!
shadowsiler 7 months ago
I'm not sure I understand your point about equating the car manufactures and big oil. I understand that oil companies have a great deal of influence in important places, but if I was the CEO of Ford, I would be very wary of a competitor cornering the market on hydrogen fuel cars. Hence I have a vested interest in cracking the hydrogen car first and investing heavily in this technology. Is this fair?
captainmadguns 8 months ago
I have just added the phrase "ass-opening" to my volcabulary. Thanks Llew!
fakelarry1 9 months ago
legend, keep it up bobby
nov3019892008 11 months ago
this video is brilliant!
Mole1992 11 months ago
remember that the hydrogen car was a concept car, while the tesla was supposed to hit the markets.
the first tesla concept car most likely cost just as much as the honda did.
i'm a mechanic, and love petrolpowered cars, but i look forward to seeing more electric cars, like the ones vw and audi are developing now.
one problem with batteries are the raw materials required to make them.
it's good for local polluting, but not that good in the big picture.
cheers from a big fan.
panzerveps 1 year ago
Bob who is virus guy and why do I quite like him ?
MaryHorts 1 year ago
Wat or quim at least once .this was very. Dissapointing as we had gathered specially for a night of your expletives to go with our tikka masala and babycham
MaryHorts 1 year ago
I sat with my children to watch a recommended piece of your footage on Eco concerns .I was horrified that you did not use the word t
MaryHorts 1 year ago
"Arse-openingly expensive" Hilarious, I am so nicking that for my general conversations
anticlimax1471 1 year ago
I would love one of those. Also read a good article about the same at fasteconomicalcars (.) com
psychotichealth11 1 year ago
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LIBERAL gITttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
OTULP62 1 year ago
lIBERAL gITttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
OTULP62 1 year ago
@OTULP62 Nazi scumbucket! Sorry, just saw your comment and thought I'd reply.
bobbyllew 9 months ago 4
Indeed, if only all electricity was produced in an enviromentally friendly way (not wind ...sorry) tidal & (gasp) hydroelectric (magnox) stations. NOW ....the future of fuel ....well ....Helium-3. Which I assure you ...given NASA's budget, we shant see the 'space elevator' for some time, but when we do .....the 1st thing you'll find people doing is *mining* the frozen surface moon for the precious Helium-3.
temporaldisplacement 1 year ago
i watch mythbusters a lot and they've spoke about things like this aswell. also they have tested a lot of product claims that are supposed to increase mileage(bollocks lol)but i was impressed at some things that did work (which i why it pisses me off when they keep going on about hydrogen fuel) the first is cow dung lol. yes cow dung can fuel your car. the other which really got me was used cooking oil and the best thing about used cooking oil is no modification is needed to your car engine.
tiggermad 1 year ago
When are you going to be star in a reasonably priced car?
Halbared 1 year ago 2
since you're so smart, why don't you go and design your own hydrogen car and sell it to the public. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love a hydrogen car.
Ranjpow 1 year ago
I love when people use the price of newer underdeveloped technology as an argument against it. In 1961 a single microchip that now would cost a few pennies cost $32. That would be around $270 in today's funds. If it hadn't been for the Government pushing this new technology it would have never gone into mass production and we wouldn't have PC's or the internet and the ability to listen to idiots like this!
bagelman00 1 year ago
@bagelman00 New technology? Hardly, "the first fuel cell was demonstrated by Welsh scientist and barrister Sir William Robert Grove in the February 1839". Fuel cells were in use during the 60s for the space program. Photovoltaic cells have a similar historical time frame. Walmart sells solar panels, but I can't seem to find where they keep the fuel cells.
karuddell 1 year ago
Thank you for this. I bought a Tesla for its performance and aesthetics 1st. Clean air and ozone are great, too. More important to me are the (geo)political influence of oil companies, i.e. Bush, Iraq, Saudis, GM, etc. Reviewers like Top Gear depend on advertisement from auto and parts companies. Gas cars need plugs, belts, oil, filters, coolant, and other stuff that need advertising. My car's industrial motor has one moving part and is designed to last for decades without any new parts.
masterskenneth 1 year ago
You´ve forgotten one important .. nearly vital .. benefit of oil. It keeps the thousends and thousends of completly useless oil-princes quiet (including their countrys also only living from oil-money). What shall we do with all theese stupid and religious drunken fucks after the oil? Even Al-Qaida hasent that much bomb belts to blow them all up.
bowman2061 1 year ago
Actually, now I think about it moving into producing lithium seems a sensible move for BP…
Thanks for the rant, see you on Sunday
RideFlame 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
srr you sir are an idiot , electricity is not good becouse the battery's are very expense and wil wear down very fast ( and wil not charge wel ) hydrogen wil be cheap in mass production . i'm an car engeneer and you man need to go learn to see te entire picture.
diederik144 1 year ago
@diederik144 Being called an idiot by someone who can barely spell takes some of the sting out of the accusation. It may be that English is your 2nd language, in which case I apologize, but that does not forgive your total lack of understanding battery technology. They are rapidly getting cheaper, lighter, longer lasting, their energy density is increasing by 12% per year. Batteries will be cheap in mass production. Hydrogen will be a fuel we use in 50 years. Batteries work today.
bobbyllew 1 year ago 19
@bobbyllew Be careful who you chastise on their use of English. "sting out of the accusation" - should be "sting from the accusation". "2nd" should be "second". "Apologize" should be "apologise". I could go on but I think you get the point.
PeowPeowPeowLasers 1 year ago
@PeowPeowPeowLasers Or rather: "Be careful when chastising people for thier use of english." 8p
temporaldisplacement 1 year ago
@bobbyllew The only reason why people defend hidrogen or petrol over batteries is because you can't instantly refill. I know and it's a fact that you can instantly refill a battery (not every battery of course) to make it equally usable again OR even better, you can have standard batteries for all electric cars and have a machine replacing them on every 'petrol' station, and there you go. Problem solved. Very good comment and this comment of mine only adds to you being right.
WXIIIR 2 months ago
Hydrogen: Presently, its worse than you suggest, squire! At the moment, most of it comes from natural gas, and gets used by oil refineries in cracking crude into lighter products. To make H2, you take CH4, destroy half its energy content, to create a gas which is damned difficult to store and energy intensive to compress. Spot on though: the issue is where the h2 comes from.
theGreenChesterfield 1 year ago
you are so right byrdale
Waterwolf5555 2 years ago
he's right. we don't want to hear it , but he's right
byrdale 2 years ago
Bobby can you wrangle the discovery channel to make an electric car based one off show
eldictator1 2 years ago
fuck hydrogen, teslas model s is the future
eldictator1 2 years ago
Just watching rob on "how it works" or whichever one it is... I'd also like to say OOp north in t'sheffield, I just watched on the local news that we spent £93 million on the nhs in one city on "air pollution" related illness which adds up to around 300 deaths per year from transport!
If we had 100% coal fired power in the uk, it would still be more efficient than millions of smaller fuel burners, Heat is recycled and the power is sent down power lines rather than petrol by trucks
eldictator1 2 years ago
whether you agree with the battery or hydrogen argument, the corruption is obvious and that's why everyone should favor this video. The big corps look down at us like peasants and will always bleed us dry unless people understand what is going on. Most people dont have a clue whats going on because they're kept busy and sucked in by all the crap on tv. sad state of affairs.
And its funny to see him go mental.
Nice one Bobby.
AnalogRIP 2 years ago
Sorry Robert,
Isn't the point the point not just about oil companies, but more the technology? Is it not possible that a company not associated with the oil companies; 'I don't know like..Virgin.' might be able to do something with this technology???
nightwinghunter 2 years ago
i wonder why the oil companies who know they are screwed, do not invest money into electric car infrastructure like battery switch stations? such as the company "better place"! They are the world leaders at present and will own most power points at super markets and homes etc... I suppose the multinationals wish to leach out as much money from their present oil delivery systems as possible and jump on the electric wagon at the very last moment. :/
indiasrainbow 2 years ago
Agree with you on James May/Top Gear. I saw that episode too. Buy your hydrogen from the oil companies at the same price as regular fuel! Keeps us tied to them, nice one! There is a way to split hydrogen from water using instantaneous electrolysis. An idea that's been around since Faraday. Hydrogen can then be produced on demand, which you can then run a car on, only exhaust being water vapour, no need to store it under 5000psi. Just search 'Stanley Meyers' in youtube and see for yourself.
ianrkav 2 years ago
You need oil to produce electricity!
ianrkav 2 years ago
What an interesting comment. I don't know where you live, but even in the UK we only produce something like 4% of our electricity by burning oil. We use more natural gas, coal and nuclear than anything else, but there always wind, which is at about 5% now. You only need a small can of oil for lubrication for most power generation. We shouldn't import any oil
bobbyllew 2 years ago
This is what I meant! Oil is needed for lubrication of moving parts! Also ofcourse, powerstations and power lines etc, have to be maintained, by people in vans and trucks! Also, as much as I like the electric car, and I do, I don't think our national grid could handle it if we all went over to them, not just yet anyway. I love the Tesla, they have shown electric cars don't have to look like a golf cart. I would like the model S saloon, have to wait for them to be a lot cheaper though!
ianrkav 2 years ago
You do need oil for lubrication, we import around £3 trillion worth of oil per year at present, if we only needed oil for lubrication, how much would that cost? I'd suggest around £5-10 million max. Plus if we didn't burn what we find in the North Sea, we don't need to import any. The maintenance of power lines, electric truck, check the Modec van, 100% electric. It could be done. The national grid needs upgrading anyway, we need to localise power gen, it would create 1000's of jobs too
bobbyllew 2 years ago
That's all we need oil for. I couldn't agree more, and on the jobs front too. We would end up going through a 'Luddite' period as we switch from one tech to another but many of these people could find employment in the new industries. Check out those links I sent you, only take about 20 mins to get the basics. I think we would need a 'buffer' tech between the two and the hydrogen engines would provide that I think. It's a start isn't it!
ianrkav 2 years ago
You go girl!!! Totally agree, except that fuel cells will come down in price when mass produced, but probably not competitive. Energy wise, fuel cells don't make sense for commuters. But for long haul trucking it might work because they have long distance requirements.
mark2073 2 years ago
Ever since your Carpool with Chelsea Sexton, I have become ever-so slightly obsessed with alternative-energy cars. I'm not a gearhead, I find driving my car (Berlingo 1.9d) from gig to gig mind-numbingly dull and I hate the expense it incurs. Therefore I've been posting everywhere that, should the Gods see fit, I'd love to get a Tesla someday.
There are passionate arguments for hydrogen, electric and hybrid options and, frankly, I'm loving it because this is an argument where everyone wins.
ukdeejay 2 years ago
That was one hell of a rant ;-) but it sounds like your bang on the money lol,top video=5*
startazz 2 years ago
i love it rob,
you go kick some,
take no prisoners
roblekosh 2 years ago
Charlie Boorman on his latest 'By any means' journey drove a bright green electric car (if my memory is correct here, it was electric) for part of his journey in Australia and was astounded how fast it went and how far it went. He said he couldn't quite believe that what he was driving was not a fossil fuel car. He was impressed. We need shows like that to portray things, rather than shows like Top Gear.
Ossadawn 2 years ago
Obviously I am going to agree with you about tis. It is a very difficult dilemma the BBC have for themselves, a very popular show which supports one very biased view without any attempt at balance. I have driven many electric cars, they are quite simply better than Fossil
bobbyllew 2 years ago
Agreed. With Mr Clarkson (how classy that sounds), as much as I kind of get a buzz out of his refreshing down to earth approach and trampling over politicial correctness, he has been proved to be completely wrong with his scoffings several times now to the point that people shouldn't automatically assume that just because Jeremy mocks it then it's rubbish. But as you say, the show has tremendous influencing power. Not only on cars, but about wider social issues it seems.
Ossadawn 2 years ago
too bloody right about the petro chem corps rob well done
jodcobh 2 years ago
Just out of curiosity, where any members of your family there while you filmed that Robert? lol
Bigfinlach 2 years ago
This is seen by my family as a healthy form of therapy.
bobbyllew 2 years ago
Well, that's nine minutes I'm never going to get back.
tealightcandles 2 years ago
Glad you enjoyed it.
bobbyllew 2 years ago
Normally not bothered by language but half that swearing was just gratuitous.
And he still couldn't be completely impartial about it. It's not as simple as he says. The UK for one is facing a potentially chronic energy shortage, if all cars were powered by electricity we wouldn't have anything to power the street lights. There's a reason that the power companies aren't lobbying to have electric cars (which would be immense for their business) it's because they can't cope with the demand.
malawiandan 2 years ago
I admit I don't know the difference between gratuitous swearing and just 'standard swearing.'
However what you say about power consumption is arrant nonsense. If we converted the entire private transport fleet to electric in this country, our total power consumption would only go up by around 6%, plus we would be using the redundant power production during low demand at night thus allowing the national grid to operate more effectively. 90% of your comment untrue.
bobbyllew 2 years ago
There's not enough power as it is! We're already struggling and you want to up power consumption by 6%? It's not even clear how you would manage to produce so much electricity? What means are you going to use to produce it all? You're plucking numbers from thin air.
malawiandan 2 years ago
Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Maybe watch the carpool episode I did with Dale Vince from ecotricity, a man who knows a lot about wind power, the UK is a very windy place. we have 40% of the usable wind in Europe, we could generate far kore power than we use. It can be done, don't believe the pro fossil nonsense spouted by greedy, short sighted, powerful corporations
bobbyllew 2 years ago
poo
mickdogga 2 years ago
Oh, and ppl might be interested in a cool little 9 page study done in 2003 comparing the cost, performance, energy requirements, range etc of Electric Vehicles and Fuelcell vehicles.
Electric vehicles actually came out better.
And this was back in 2003, and since then they're got even better again!
Google for "A Cost Comparison of Fuel-Cell and Battery Electric Vehicles"
Very good document.
roidroid 2 years ago 2
Hydrogen cars use 3x to 4x the amount of energy that Battery cars do.
It's not just the electrolysis that wastes a lot of enery - the hydrogen fuelcells themselves are not very efficient.
I wonder how the efficiency would compare to if you just explodes that hydrogen in an engine, which spins a generator.
IIRC Fuelcells are really expensive coz they use very rare and expensive Platinum in them. Unless they can one day figure a way of not needing Platinum, fuelcell cars are pretty fucked
roidroid 2 years ago
That rant was fucking epic. As much as I love Top Gear, I hate it when they slag off people who drive electrics. They should get you in the reasonably priced car :D
iamafish400 2 years ago
One thing is that the BMW is not a fuel cell,.. it is a combustion engine..
nateaus 2 years ago
Did you know that in the USA you get $7500 tax credit if you buy a Tesla car they have a Tax credit system for alternative fuel cars worth between $2500 and $7500!!
In The UK???? FUCK ALL!!!!!! Yes FUCK ALL. Well there's a supprise! NOT
seanpdaly 2 years ago
nope...incorrect in the UK you can get between £2000 - £5000.
Plus theres the fact electric vehicles are all in road tax band A.
Band A = £0
Caitlindevi 2 years ago
Thanks I could not find any info on the net can you tell me where to find this?
seanpdaly 2 years ago
What about Meyer?
seanpdaly 2 years ago
I did my uni research essay on the peak oil, biofuels and hydrogen. H2 can also be made from petrol chemicals and also wind tech but like making H2 from water, it is not a energy efficient process. And it is expensive.
I agree no one is interested in making the move... everyone talks about it.. but without a serious commitment it will never happen.
Car + petrol chemical companies are scum.. look what they did with public transport in LA in the 50s and look what they did with the electric car!
nateaus 2 years ago
That was brilliantly sophisticated aggression! It could have been even better with Prof. Vivian Alice character --- he's use of curse words is impeccabe! If ever in doubt, ask yourself, how would good professor say it ;)
Cheers!
3LV1SPR35L3Y 2 years ago 2
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bboyKlappa 2 years ago
When they mass-produce Hydrogen cars I think they will be more viable.
For now they aren't. Being able to refuel in less than a minute is the best reason to use it over electric, just fill and go. Costs more but more convenient.
I went to see a presentation by Schlumberger earlier today however and they said themselves that oil is going to stay for quite a while as they manage to create new technology to take more oil from reserves, we only get about 30% at the moment.
RPNova 2 years ago
surely £3.75M isnt that much for R&D?
Canwetakearide2 2 years ago
tut tut tut please dont confuse OPEC countries with the Oil Companies that Robert talks about...OPEC countries are not the world power, oil companies are (shell, BP, Exxon etc), they make over 20 BILLION dollors profit (note, PROFIT) per year EACH...thats enough power to have their representatives in each country actually influence government policies and alter laws etc....for every 100cent you spend on petrol 15 cent goes to OPEC, and the rest goes to oil companies and local TAX!! :)
katzeye2005 2 years ago
Oh my. That was fantastic.
jamestoo 2 years ago
Its so true... The OPEC Countries are money hungry. The Hydrogen fueld cars just wont happen!
KirstieSmithSmith 2 years ago
like eco-schools :P
Canwetakearide2 2 years ago
God I'm going to regret it tomorrow at school but I can't stop watching this over and over again. It's so funny. Yet it's half eleven. Oh well =D
PurpleFunnyChocolate 2 years ago
OMG Best episode yet. Don't hold back Bob, let's have some more rants. BTW I heard that Jeremy wants a word with you... :p
deejaydoubleyoo 2 years ago
It seems to go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, your general viewing public love your profane rants. Great viewing, keep it up Bobby. KBeast.xx
thekayebeast1 2 years ago
7:27
Arse Opening ROFLMFAO <:-D
AshleyBazSivorn 2 years ago 3
"arse opening amounts of electricity to produce hydrogen..." lol what amazing grammer you have Robert llew...
Scarybobbob 2 years ago 2
Good points well made n the government will never allow electric cars cos they wont get any money. When they earning fuck knows what from petrol per litre. lol. sorry accidently rated poor when i meant to pause it. Anyfloo well said bobby
trunksGav 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
What I find amazing is that at no point does our mouthy friend here state how long it takes to recharge. The massive benefit of hydrogen and petrol powered vehicles is that it takes minutes to refuel.
As far as I can see eco rants should start by looking at the rubish they want to replace things with. Cars that can take 8hrs to charge, light bulbs that cost more to make, contain mercy, and have to be recycled abroad.
ecos.. buy a clue, you will never get one.
khainestar 2 years ago
The only possible way this could have been better would have been if you did it in full Kryten costume. Bravo!
hereticmagpie 2 years ago 16
I am standing up, clapping vigorously and shouting, "Hear hear!"
astoundingchimp 2 years ago 3
That was brilliant, they should hire you to replace Clarkson, at least then we would all see a balanced opinion!!
Khaiyrah 2 years ago
Many points well made. However once the switch to electric cars has been made and enough people own them, our greedy tax obsessed government will scrap the current emmisions tax system and and increase the tax on electric vehicles. Plus, have no doubt roadside charging points will charge a massive premium and home electricity bills will sky rocket. That will be inevitable. Battery, hydrogen or petrol the UK government will always have you by the balls. The corrupt bunch of..................
adam11041968 2 years ago
Bravo to you, sir. What a wonderful rant. Thank you for putting things out there where they belong.
sherrineko 2 years ago 4
This was amazing
clashloverben 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Clarkson rules.
Stig would own you.
Plisken1986 2 years ago
Fantastic
valentine75 2 years ago
I want one of those Teslas so badly, it's the second thing on my wish list (after the driving license I'd need to drive the thing).
I understand why people are scared off by the price, but like you, and the curly-headed crazy Clarkson say, it's incredibly cheap to run, I would imagine the road tax would be pretty low due to the lack of polluting exhaust (unless I'm confused on this point) and... fuck me, they're gorgeous.
Oh, and driving a hydrogen car, I'd be afraid of excess explosion errors.
athywren 2 years ago 2
Oh man the censoring was hilarious
1q1q1q1qjigsaw 2 years ago 3
Awesome video! Really. One of your best!!
HerrFrog 2 years ago 3
BBC should loop that video on sundays at 8.00pm or whenever the hell top gear is on. Well said Mr L
cymrophil1 2 years ago 3
So the race is on.. Hydrogen cars vs. Flying cars-which will be first!?(ever?)
You are ok with me-you watch quality television (Top Gear). Perhaps Clarkson will place you as a star in a reasonably priced car...
vondeliusc 2 years ago 4
Ever thought of running for parliament Robert? or ever thought of burning down parliament and running for the rubble? (would probably be more effective)
Other question, under current opinions, who would you vote for at the next election?
Excellent rant by the way, showing the brits can hold their own in the "Ranting Liberal talking some sense" stakes :)
-Tw
tau000 3 years ago 4
enjoyed the "arse-opening amounts of electricity" bit.
DeafFret 3 years ago 3
Depending on your driving needs:
the two vehicles to go after are
1: pure electric or "EV" , there are already several on the market ranging from $A40k-$A150k with ranges of 120km to 300 respectivly. Mitsubishi and a few others should have versions out in 12 months.
2: Plugable series hybrid. You can charge it off your house and if your only doing short trips it will run as an electric car (EV), as soon as you reach the range of the batteries a small motor starts and generates power to charge
1BustedMyth 3 years ago
Interesting about that!
For some strange reason non hydrogen electrics keep meeting tremendous resistance but the hydrogen fuelcell one had complete backing of a certain president, "Who killed the electic car", I followed the progress of that vehicle, its criminal what these people did. Nasa put an electric car on the moon in the 1970's, yet for some strange reason, we don't seem to have been able to follow on and improve the technology. Meanwhile look at the progress off PC's and mobiles.
1BustedMyth 3 years ago 2
I thought harnessing hydrogen power would be easy since it's the most abundant element in the universe. Why does it have to come from water? I guess if it's floating around in our air it's a lot harder to put to use or something..
j01tz0r 3 years ago
The making of the Hydrogen is a bit of an issue but nowhere near as big an issue as the "Fuelcell"that is used to convert it into electricity. The fuelcell is made of platinum making them very expensive until we find another material thats cheaper and orks as well. A Hydrogen Fuelcell car is just an electric car with a Hydrigen tank and fuelcell instead of batteries. Average electric car A$50k average fuelcell electric apx $1mil. (for now)
1BustedMyth 3 years ago 3
The cheapest and most efficient way to get hydrogen is from Natural Gas. You would still be buying from the oil companies.
abergethirty 3 years ago
Alright, thanks for the info. By the time I can buy a new car I hope it will be an electric one. :p
j01tz0r 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
LIBERALS ARE ALWAYS PHYSICALLY UGLY. MALES AND FEMALES. WHY IS THIS? please respond to me, and please dont site the hollywood botox cologne guys and gals.
kidaweb 3 years ago
I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Your statement comes from another time and space continuum and I cannot translate. And why do you use upper case? DO YOU THINK IT MAKES YOUR STATEMENT HAVE SOME VALIDITY.I could just as well ask why all ignorant racist right wing bigots are fat and stupid. It's absurd, there's some very attractive right wing bigots around. Utter nonsense, try and grow up.
bobbyllew 3 years ago
Possibly the greatest rant ever.
Cheers:)
jamesmaybrick2001 3 years ago
I'm going to invent a car powered by human urine, called the "Pee -N- Go!"
Scorpiuszeroone 3 years ago 2
yeah, and I've invented a roadside scenic overlook/restaurant/brothel...the "Look-See -Eat-n-Fuck"...and my friend already has papers drawn for his "Stop-n-Piss", an Interstate rest stop with a very long "trough", if you will, alongside the parking area.
sTevefor3 2 years ago
looved it!
TracyInsomiac 3 years ago
We all have our opinions, however, it pays to get the scientific facts before opening ones mouth.
I have a lot to do with Electrics, hybribs and Hydrogen vehicles, all these technologies have their good and bad points, just the same as petroleum vehicles. The important part is that we focus our efforts on the solving of the problems to give us the long term solutions that we so badly need. Prototypes always cost a fortune, especialy when the whole vehicle is new concept. ANS: Masproduction
1BustedMyth 3 years ago
wot a fecking rant
soxs78 3 years ago
But what is the red dwarf ship powered with? I subscribe to fart power, so much methane from so many mammals should surely be utilized for energy?
Zoorgy 3 years ago
That was great.
I have just one question, are you ever bringing back Hollywood Science - fantastic show!
berther88 3 years ago
Very passionate and I agree 100%
BSEmadcow 3 years ago
I agree eco cars are bollocks, I like the power Hydrogen produces, although it has to be processed, it is naturally recycled and knackered batteries, well, arent. You still need a lot of precious metal; to make a battery and currently theyre still fucking heavy! in terms of power to weight ratio. If we had developed Hydrogen instead of petrol, the sand dwellers wouldn't have the clout they have today, and maybe, just maybe; we wouldnt have this pathetic conflict in the ME.
kennywomble 3 years ago
Great points. But what about the point that electric cars take a very long time to charge up? Would you say that the lasting time and efficiancy is worth the long wait to charge up a battery? Or will it encorage people to use public transport more?
Nightmare060 3 years ago
Well said. Oil use, where we get it and who is making money from it are the most relevant issues to all of us at the moment - but it's never honestly discussed on the news (mainly bbc news for me).
downformaintenance 3 years ago
The best description I have heard for hydrogen fuel cells is that it is essentially a way of "storing" energy. You use up energy to generate the hydrogen fuel cells that can then be distributed for use elsewhere. Even if it was 100% efficient (energy used = energy retrieved), you still used energy (most likely electricity).
We already generate electricity, have distribution systems in place.
sdesros 3 years ago
Rantastic Mr Llewellyn, totally agree with your passionate monologue, have you Read Gridlock by Ben Elton? Just thought I'd Let you know that my hippie mate has made his own hydrogen hybrid car which has successfully increased the vehicles mpg by 15%.
Have a little faith in the eccentric Brittish inventor and may they be united on shed-tube where they can compare their sometimes not so hair brained schemes.
bobflemming9 3 years ago
hear hear!!!! good to hear some straight talking. im a petrolhead and i drive a lotus, (still one of the most fuel efficient cars for performance) but im as frustrated as you are over the electric car situation.
msd78 3 years ago
so right on the spot
dwarferDK 3 years ago
Bob absolutly F***ing RIGHT mate,but what would i know im only a f***ing Electrician.
infraredtechnician 3 years ago
Fully justified use of swears, I thought.
somethingesoteric 3 years ago 2
A 5* and subscription worth rant, I just wish I had the money to buy a Tesla. In all seriousness though I'm gonna have to agree with SelfProtection95, we need some of this passion in places of power cos thats the only way you'll see any real change in the world.
evilthemonkey 3 years ago
you can get hydrogen from natural gas.
dillj34555 3 years ago
A fossil fuel? Oh well; back to the drawing board :P
holyhell5050 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
You can rant without swearing! I chose to switch off at 3.30, after your repeated use of the f word.
sparkygl0s 3 years ago
Was that number 7 or 8?
quintadobomfim 3 years ago
excellent rant btw 5 stars and il subscribe
its people like this that we need running the country no bull shit straight to the point kinda every man because those such as gordan brown who gradated from edinburgh university which you actual have to be picked to go to we broght up as middle/upper class and know nothing about the geeral public all he reeli cares about is his pay check at the end of the mounth
SelfProtection95 3 years ago
Good video ! So mmany people dont know where hydrogen comes from. They all think its clean which it is when you burn it but the energy it takes to create it is huge.
JETGRAN 3 years ago
thanks for that! You said everything that bugs me and saved me the anger and effort,got to be worth 5 *
spiralisedcat 3 years ago
TG is a bit like what Ian said in HIGNFY about Jeremy's articles in the Sun, he often wonders who really wrote it.
DrIndigoLe3rd 3 years ago
Ha, all Liberals are cowards and traitors and hate their own troops!
AnthonyJClune 3 years ago
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I wholeheartedly agree. Liberals are the very scum of America that think they can negotiate with the people that wanna blow us up. Anti-American is what they are.
CarlChub 3 years ago
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I don't need you to agree with me you Jesus loving faggot. Go suck Liberal dick.
AnthonyJClune 3 years ago
You get mad for me agreeing with you?
Weird.
Well it's hard to tell where you stand since you posted 2 comments, each one stating a different viewpoint than the other, so I'm gonna have to fire back at your liberal side.
So why don't you go kill some babies or something?
CarlChub 3 years ago
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My Liberal side? Ha its you fake COnservatives that give us a bad name. Tell everyone you are voting McCain and then vote that chimp Obama!
AnthonyJClune 3 years ago
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I DESPISE Obama. Anyone would be better than that cocksucker in office.
CarlChub 3 years ago
I can...George W Bush.
adamfruitcake 3 years ago
Well, he's saving your ass whether you like it or not. You're just too stupid to realize it.
CarlChub 3 years ago
hey mate a couple of comments down...yous spell Kryton with a 'K'....which Kryton pointed out in 'Duct Soup'
:D
dwwafer 3 years ago
please please please do rip into clarkson next time...
hatter23 3 years ago
rl..u are a star..
i loathe the pomposity of the top gear xxxxx"s
I HEARTILY AGREE
YOUR getting a beer when we meet
john
single imagetoys of exmouth
hatter23 3 years ago
cryton! mop that floor! its messy
mrcrackerfeld 3 years ago
Brilliant rant Robert.
Thanks to iPlayer I recently saw the 'North Pole race' episode of Top Gear. It was, I'm sure you'll agree, pretty fantastic from start to finish and extremely entertaining - but Clarkson had to ruin it all with the closing sentence (paraphrased) "look how beautiful this place is, we're not doing any damage after all", it was just a scratch on the surface I recall him saying.
I love to hate the guy, much like you, but that statement just made him sound like an utter cunt.
Yawdib 3 years ago
SOLD!
LordLargo37 3 years ago
Thats how much a hydrogen car costs at the moment, its an emerging technology and the cars shown are prototypes, as it becomes more mainstream the price will come down to the price of todays everday car. You sir, are being ridiculous. Response? No. Because I am right!
benjiSpragg 3 years ago
Response, because you are wrong. Not about the cost of hydrogen cars coming down, that's basic maths and dull, but because it's in ineffective system of propulsion, it's too expensive, too reliant on massive infrastructure costs, and it's a nonsense propagated by oil companies to keep them in business, which is quite sensible for them, utterly ridiculous for the rest of us. You have fallen for the very well funded hype. Response, none, because you are wrong.
bobbyllew 3 years ago
You're entitled to your opinion and I am merely expressing mine, time will tell who's is right. I do however genuinely believe that hydrogen cars are the future.
benjiSpragg 3 years ago
This may not be the most highly opinionated comment but, Robert you're totaly right.
Oh and good luck with kryton. Can't wait
dwwafer 3 years ago
I wonder if this video will be algorithmically
censored by Google's owners. Due to its truthfull content, and the fact that Googles funding is in all probailty derived by oil firms in the cloak of investment fund management firms. Veiw "who owns google" on you tube.
goodagofilms 3 years ago
To the hydrogen/ethanol/etc. infrastructure wonks: look up "Project Better Place". Israel and San Francisco U.S.A. are beating all other infrastructures to the punch, with recharge and battery exchange systems. Forget service-station-only fill-ups; electric refills and exchanges are far more efficient, faster, and safer. Recharge stations could be in every parking lot and garage. Battery exchange stations could reach every grocery, shop, office, and home. Hydrogen is a costly joke.
TakeyMcTaker 3 years ago
Thank you, my sentiments entirely. Was in Israel recently and saw a couple of zippy little electrics, didn't have time to investigate unfortunately.
bobbyllew 3 years ago
I don't totally agree with your politics, but you're dead on with the eco-car crap. We need alternative fuels and what-not, but all this ethanol and hydrogen garbage is going to ruin us. Ethanol is killing the food supply, and hydrogen is expensive and dangerous. One of my best friends is actually working to turn black liquor from paper mills into a viable alternative fuel. It looks good so far, so here's hoping he can help squash the ethanol/hydrogen movement!
bobsmash213 3 years ago
Thank you, I'm not sure what my politics are, particularly regarding the hydrogen/battery debate, but a picture is emerging. Ethanol is a cruel joke though, needs exposing.
bobbyllew 3 years ago
You have to take a long term view Bob. Oil companies won't be able to supply oil forever, so they're looking at other ways of making fuels, and therefor money. Hydrogen could be the thing, but I suspect it's too troublesome. It would seem to make sense to supply 'carnergy' via the existing power network, but that just moves the energy production back to the power station. Coal, gas and oil-fired all exist now, but in 50 years I think we'll be all nuclear, bar some local-level green generation...
SimplyPaul 3 years ago
i understand your point but the honda is not sold in the uk because there are no hydrogen petrol stations, if there were, the car would be bought in kind of the same amounts as a toyota prius, its a horrible thing by the way, the toyota, but the honda would be purchased by some eco-freaks. and after that the government would tell us that they have run out of coal to make electricity and tell us to put a wind generator in our garden like that bloak you mentioned and we shall all be killed!
mu51im 3 years ago
100% Robert. Goverments and large coprations have been hiding technolye for years. When it dose become known thay out price it. As for top gear lol i owne a few marina's. Enough said.
Eloues 3 years ago