Fully Charged Honda FCX Clarity episode 002

[BxKWR]

Thanks for saying everything i've been wanting to say about Hydrogen. It is AMAZING and it is the FUTURE, but probably not mine or yours, maybe our grandchildren. So in the meantime, let's do something to live more sustainably NOW.

[DanM012324]

All the haters of hydrogen are clearly hippies and not Dr's in Chemistry and physics who believe this is the way forward, Go eat your tofu and complain somewhere else.

[TheOneNo20]

Mercedes are launching a hydrogen/battery hybrid in 2014 & Toyota are developing their own fuel cell car as I type. I don't think commercial fuel cell cars are actually that far off. Personally I'm very surprised not to see our government pushing harder for this kind of technology. I would've thought that independence from OPEC would be incentive enough.

[Hirotoro4692]

My personal prediction is you'll see a lot of hydrogen public transport and HGV in the future. Some countries with a lot of renewable such as Iceland may have a hydrogen economy indeed, and potentially become a huge exporter, as the geothermal source puts them in a great position to make the stuff.

As for the typical motorist though... I'm thinking mostly battery EVs is what you will see... especially for bikes...

[Aleque]

lol i imagine a few mushroom clouds in the background, as a result of few people filling up their hydrogen-car incorrect

[DjGisME]

driving with that amount of explosive gas is madness

there would be many accidents

. no good technology

[ngvconversion]

@DjGisME Petrol is just as dangerous.

[toyotaprius79]

Hydrogen, really it's a dream to keep oil companies happy so they can charge the World's most abundant element for the same price as petrol or diesel. And 5000psi of Hydrogen, That's a BOMB! I will definately not be comftorable knowing there's a filled up Hydrogen Car parked in Northern Ireland in Omagh or Belfast, on a road or near a road where the Orange Parade or some shit will pass by. A full tank of petrol is bad enough to light up!

[ngvconversion]

@toyotaprius79 Terrorists can put a bomb in anything. 

[toyotaprius79]

@ngvconversion For a normal car you'd already have a petrol bomb behind or under the rear seat. But 5000psi of hydrogen just scares me on it's own.

[R2BCH2]

This is first of all a "business as usual" solution for the fossil fuel companies. It's pure protectionism, keeping the consumer tied up to them. Let's face it.

Key word: MIT's semi-solid flow battery technology. That's what can be called future-oriented R&D. Let's see which oil giant will monopolise the patent this time once the tech is matured for the market. It's a ludicrous (fat) cat and mouse game.

[earthwizz]

Ground breaking technology? Don't think so. You hit the nail on the head, an excuse to not move away from the dinosaur technology of the ICE, maintenance and parts for which will return them more than the original cost of the car. Batt tech is improving in leaps and bounds, the way of the future. Knowing that, the top gear guys always remind me of the chaps in cardigans orgasming over steam.

[Batmanshack]

All the haters of hydrogen need to realize in a few years you can make that hydrogen from solar panels.. This IS the future unless batteries get better..

[JRP3]

@Batmanshack Batteries are getting better, so I guess that's it for hydrogen, it's not the future for transportation.

[jpmorgan187]

Thanks for the honest review, and not some promotion of hydrogen cars.

[elvis97660]

to much presure what if you crash

[andygriff1987]

@elvis97660 He said in the video- it has been extensively crash tested. Don't forget that driving a normal car, you're sitting on a highly inflammable liquid...

[CAESARbonds]

The Clarity is a very nice car.

Honda just should drop out the Hydrogen tank and replace it with nice LiFePo4 batteries. DONE. That would be perfect.

[TBman256]

how much trunk space does it have? I saw a hydrogen car in another documentary and the hydrogen tank took up nearly all the trunk space

[deadmantyping2]

So you would still have to fill up and purchase expensive hydrogen at a filling station . No thanks, Id rather charge a battery electric at home. Much cheaper and far more convenient.

[Batmanshack]

Wow this is by far the best video i've seen on this car! It looks fantastic, and I love the sounds!

[thinfourth]

You want large electric motors developed

Erm Roger the largest motor i have worked with was about the same size as a 2 car garage and produced 30,000Bhp

You want bigger?

[no0bbbb]

question, whats the song where you say you have the keys to this car and your lucky??

[techwizboy]

hydrogen can be made with a 12 volt battery and salt water

[prashan86]

You should check out the Automotive XPrize happening in the US.

It's a competition for highly efficient advanced technology vehicles. Lot of cool vehicles.

[randycarter2001]

The biggest problem for HFC cars is infrastructure. In the US you need on the order of 20,000 stations to approach the convenience of petrol. At 3.9 million US dollars each we can't afford it. To be equal you'd have to be spending at least $13.50 a gallon for petrol just to pay for the fueling station. Add to that the wages of the employees, electricity to run the place, property taxes etc. Expenses every business must pay and the numbers get worse.

[TBman256]

maybe someone should get that Dyson guy to design a gas engine.

[TBman256]

could hydrogen be used to fuel planes? because I heard planes make huge amounts of pollution.

[Charles2337]

@TBman256

Jet engines require the burning of a fuel.. so yes theoretically Hydrogen can be burned and used in a jet engine.

[ratherbesurfing7]

Thanks for busting up some of the rhetorical propaganda that's out there! Great series, I hope you keep it up :0)

BTW, for everyone who's interested, Tesla (symbol TSLA) had an Initial Public Offering (IPO) today! That means you can invest in this company for the first time ever. Its running about $20 USD a share. What a deal.

[iatebobby]

As Robert said it was great technology but it was Victorian technology!

[TBman256]

@iatebobby I never knew the gas engine was so steampunk :D

[dpeilow]

So roughly how long were you at that hydrogen pump, and how much did you fill up in the time? Does the fill rate tail off as it gets more full?

[badmanners411]

Listen to Friday's NPR Science Friday (25 June 2010) for a segment on how they're working on tank technology.

[stopcrazypp]

The biggest problem with hydrogen is all this time they keep telling us to wait and that it is the "future". Until they are serious and actually have cars for SALE, then it is all talk. The biggest problem is while waiting for hydrogen to happen 10 years ago (GM with the Hywire already promised 2010 would be the year), all the car makers killed off all their EVs. Now 10 years later, we are still listening to promises, while plug-ins and BEVs are being offered for sale.

[Nightmare060]

I certainly hope that one day I'm able to buy a small, functional electric car. I've never been a person to want anything kind of big or extravagent like you'd see on top gear. If it's functional and comfortable, that's all I'll need! So hopefully electric cars can be developed to fit that market (in the mainstream anyway).

[advandermeer]

Great program, great information.

Still glad I reserved a Tesla Model S

[diakrite]

Electrics is the way to go. Mr LLewellyn is quite right, arguing that IC-engines are more or less a past station.

Everyone that has ever felt the "thump" of accelleration that a Tesla can provide, will forever be longing for that kind of high-performance.

Biggest part of the equasion is the way to get electricity stored and into said electric motor .

But, we are going fast: NiCad-->NiMh-->LiPo-->LiPhosph­ate etc etc. every battery generation doubles storage. This is gonna be fun!

[mattetjus]

@diakrite

actually, today, Lithium Polymers (LiPo as you write?) have about 2x the energy storage of the average LiPO4 (lithium phosphate) but half the cyclelife and they are much less safe if misstreated (car crash). Very well produced LiPO4-cells (A123 for example) do rival the lipos though.

[mattetjus]

"2x the energy storage" ofc meaning twice the energy density.

lipos are mostly 150+Wh/kg while few LiPO4's are above 100Wh/kg.

Atleast, as far as I, as a private consumer, have seen so far.

[soulytdd]

Much better episode only mentioned top gear once and it was information based well done.

This may be the most stupid question asked but here goes.

In last weeks episode you charged the EV at a special charge point and it only took 15 minutes.

now the Question :/

Could they not add that sort of tech into the car so when you plug the old 13amp in it converts it and boosts it to charge in 15 mins?.

[JRP3]

@soulytdd No, power in = power out, minus losses. If you boost amperage you decrease voltage, and vice versa.  For example, charging at 100 volts and 50 amps is the same as charging at 50 volts and 100 amps, 5000 watts.

[Xeyad1]

It actually sounds like supercharged! Nice! :D

[viljamrajkr]

Tango car?

[stephenhoug]

Good show. I like the format and the Honda hydrogen car looked great, although the points you made about hydrogen as a fuel were well made. I look forward to the next episode.

[steph1971]

Ballsy call for having been lent the car. Good call man. It's backwards thinking that keeps people imprisoned by fuel companies.

[idontcare80]

I want that motor/transaxle assembly for an EV, that thing is sexy! Just look at the packaging! DROOOOL LOL.

[jason1973tl]

Love the videos. Keep em coming. I agree H2 is the future and it always will be.

[giantquesadilla]

Hydrogen. The fuel of the future... still...

[idontcare80]

@giantquesadilla If you live in idoit land.

[3SilverSurfer4]

Hydrogen cars can and do work. You just have to know a bit more than the alternative fuel advocates of [pick your poison other than hydrogen; e.g. alcohol, battery EV's, biogas, etc.,]. ;)

Someday, these alternative fuel advocates will learn to do a bit more than to re-spew zealotry regarding other alternative fuels, aka their competition. Something along the lines of reading and researching. :D

[JRP3]

@3SilverSurfer4 That's funny, as after literally years of reading and research into biofuels and hydrogen I've come to the conclusion that BEV's are the best choice. Most scientists, including some hydrogen experts, agree.  No zealotry here, just physics and real world practicality.

[wlchase]

Very nice! I think you have it right, however, some sort of on-board energy storage system, rather an energy-generation system, is the way forward for the near term. Until micro fusion becomes a reality, anyway.

[JRP3]

Great examples of why hydrogen cars will not work. Efficiency of hydrogen generation is poor, transporting hydrogen is problematic, as is storing it. There is no infrastructure, fuel cells are expensive, and need maintenance. It's more expensive to run on hydrogen compared to grid power. Hydrogen is a dead end for the foreseeable future.

[GeminiPrimeX]

@JRP3 Yeah, but the same can be said for fossil fuels. Both in the present and the past.

[JRP3]

@GeminiPrimeX Hydrogen has special problems with storage and transport, since it's not very dense and the molecule is so small, it's very hard to contain. Replacing inefficient ICE technology with inefficient HFC technology isn't exactly progress.

[Charles2337]

@JRP3

The same was said for gasoline cars when it first came. I really believe this technology will improve greatly. They are already developing new tanks using nano technology that can store 10 times the amount of hydrogen than traditional tanks in a smaller package.

I think in the future we will have both battery electrics and hydrogen at the same time. Things like ships and trucks will most likely use hydrogen instead of batteries because of weight issues and range.

[JRP3]

@Charles2337 Of course the big difference is that with gasoline cars the fuel source was literally pouring out of the ground, easily reformed, transported, and contained. Hydrogen has none of those characteristics. Not to mention hydrogen has to compete with electric vehicles, which already have a built in infrastructure. HFCV's may have some use in certain applications, but I don't see them working for personal transportation needs.

[experimental0000]

@JRP3 in a way similar arguments were made when we started using gasoline to power cars in the first place. the biggest problem is that in an accident it can catch fire and/or explode yet we use it like crazy regardless. Hydrogen isn't that hard to do, just look at Norway: they've been using it as a major power source since the 1800s and have something the size of an American refridgerator that just needs electricity and water and it will make hydrogen on site:

[JRP3]

@experimental0000 If it needs electricity then it's obviously not a power source. Releasing hydrogen takes more energy than you get back so it's just an inefficient use of electricity. The entire hydrogen chain is inefficient, from freeing hydrogen to using it in a fuel cell, and all steps in between.

[experimental0000]

@JRP3 also that same unit could be used for at home refilling. but I do see your point as that is a big concern with adopting the technology, but if R&D were put into it I know it could be done easily. instead the gov't is wasting money on stupid crap instead of an energy policy and the economy.

[JRP3]

@experimental0000 That's the thing, there have been billions already spent on R&D for hydrogen yet the physics of it remain inefficient and the infrastructure non existent. A circuit breaker, a few feet of cable, and a 240V 30A plug were all I needed to build my "home filling station" for my EV. On road fast charging can be done at 240V 70A or even 3 phase 480V. Once we have 200+ mile packs most people won't have a problem stopping for 10-15 minutes during a long trip.

[experimental0000]

@JRP3 I see your point and I agree that normal BEV is very efficient. I'd rather use that than hydrogen, mainly I'm just tyring to say that it can't hurt to check all other alternatives to standard oil . as far as alot being spend on hydrogen, I agree, but the sad part is, is that alot of such findings aren't released in normal media, you have to dig to find it as seems like they are trying to keep all alternatives to gasoline a secret.

[JRP3]

@experimental0000 Actually I don't think we should waste any more time and money checking other alternatives that have no chance of making a difference. Focused energy can accomplish much more than energy scattered in many directions. We need to cut back funding for things like hydrogen and ethanol and use it on the most efficient current technology, which is a BEV.

[experimental0000]

@JRP3 as far as ethanol goes I thought that was really stupid. it's food or fuel not both. especially for a crop that's in almost everything already. soy and other 'beans' that can make biodiesel I can see more use for than corn for ethanol, but for biodiesel I'd rather recycle old oil for that. though LP/natural gas doesn't seem as bad an alternative to petrolium based gasoline. mainly since it's cleaner without adding a bunch of crap to it

[JRP3]

@experimental0000 Natural gas has some major problems in the drilling process in certain areas. The hydro fracturing used to free the gas can end up destroying the drinking water for people in the areas being drilled. It's not a clean process though there may be ways to improve it.

[experimental0000]

@JRP3  I did not realize that. thanks for pointing that out.

[luc59457]

@JRP3 In the video he says he used a fast charge around 5:30, and hydrogen is much faster... I doubt he has seen the Subaru g4e. It can be charged in 15minutes and travels 200kms distance. It goes highway speeds, is more efficient than this and costs way less to travel. He also said it is quite expensive and he also said it takes longer to fill a hydrogen tank than petrol in this video. I don't mind if it takes a bit longer, but I'd like to save money as a result.

[Ultra4]

@JRP3 I disagree, "fuel cells are expensive, transporting hydrogen is problematic, as is storing it" i'll give you that, can't argue against the facts, but i do object you opinion and one detail about this video (witch i loved as all the series). Please google Dan Nocera, hydrolysis at home is now cheap and doesn't break over time, if plugged directly to solar PV on your home roof. It is zero emissions, it's not all that efficient but the "lost heat" at home can be harnessed. check it out

[JRP3]

@Ultra4 Problem is even if what he claims is true, which I'll explain why I question that, it still does nothing for transportation and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Hence my original statement holds true, hydrogen cars will not work. Now, my problem with Nocera's credibility comes from his seemingly total ignorance of of existing battery chemistry and the constant improvements we are seeing. He says batteries can't improve, yet they do every year, and he says Tesla's pack is 1000's of lbs.

[JRP3]

@Ultra4 continuing....Tesla's pack is about 900lbs, built with 6,831 2.2 amp hour cells in the 18650 form factor. Their next pack will be built with 3.2 amp hour cells in the 18650 form factor, same size and weight, but significant specific energy density increase. Panasonic is working on 4 amp hour cells. Nocera states this is impossible, which is obviously false. He also quickly glosses over the fact that his system still requires fuel cells, which are expensive and need maintenance.

[HyperbirdF6]

What an amazing car. I hope it's the future

[LuaRADDotOrg]

The key to Hydrogen Powered Vehicles is finding a more efficient way of extracting the energy inherent in the Hydrogen itself (as in figuring out how to use less electrical energy to split hydrogen from water).

I've seen one device which uses 250mw at 12v to produce insane amounts of hydrogen from catalysed water! If that tech became available on the open market, imagine the potential!

[drtyrell969]

Look up Stan Meyers.

[Picto82]

How cool is that car. I am really surprise they were talking about it way back in 70's and yet we don't see manty on the road. Thank Robert for this great video.

[W0NK042]

Excellent. Good work. Thank you.

[grellguy]

When your show gets famous - which it should ... please promise us that you won't sign any contract that limits you to certain regions. I wanna keep watching your show in Germany.

Btw: AUTOBAHN ROCKS!!! :-D

[sagasky]

They DO have a hybrid tanker now, theres that at least..

[sappha58]

I think the reason we keep getting promised the new technology - hydrogen cars, electric cars, whatnot - and it keeps getting pushed off to the future is because Big Oil hasn't finished producing all the oil and taking all our money yet. "The environment be damned" seems to be their attitude.

I want us to take back our future from Big Oil and start making it a reality NOW!

[Pazy160]

Im not really car person, nor a hydrogen/electric car person, but I really enjoy Fully Charged (and previously Gearless). Perhaps it has something to do with the way you host, im unsure but what I am sure of is that I will keep watching.

[ninjabob2456]

Even theoretically, hydrogen doesn't actually hold much of advantage over BEVs which exist NOW. New show looks good, looking forward to it being more regular.

[OneOfaKind949]

So how far will the car go on 4kg on Hydrogen? In miles please... Thanks!

[GrantQuinn1]

Hi Robert, glad to see you giving the Clarity a go, but I'm with you on preferring a pure electric car. Unfortunately, there is no government support in Australia for production or charging infrastructure, so my next car may be a petrol/electric hybrid.

[IconOfSin88]

I'd rather have a car with batteries than a car which still keeps us enslaved by the oil companies.

[Ultra4]

@IconOfSin88 hydrogens will not keep you slave to oil companies, hydrogen can be made from electricity or even by the "artificial leaf solar-panels" h tt p news.cnet (dot) com/8301-11128_3-20047814-54.h­tml.

Hydrogen can come from allot of sources, when i think hydrogen i discard pollutant sources before i even begin the argument