http://www.mazda.com/publicity/relea...2/091201b.html

if you look at the last paragraph, the dates for hydrogen vehice development, it says in 1991, they developed a hydrogen rotary? any pics of this vehicle?

 

It was called the HR-X, and it was really ugly.

 

 

Gaseous hydrogen stored at 5000PSI, AND a gasoline fuel tank; what could possibly go wrong?

 

Not to mention the inherent absurdity of the idea of burning hydrogen in an ICE.

 

That thing looks like, idk, a peice of something. im glad they were at least trying to use the rotary for something else.

 

you can lease a Rx8 hyrdrogen car in Japan...

the best thing about hydrogen engines is not that its exhaust is clean water. its that it needs so much air to be able to run, they have no choice... forced indution is a must!!!

 

Horridly low energy density & an extremely inefficient refining cycle are just side benefits, I guess.

Hydrogen works better for Japan because they don't have any resistance to using nuclear power for electrical generation - - which is the only way to make the hydrogen ICE fuel cycle efficient & clean enough to be a net pollution reducer.

When you use coal/natgas electrical generation for electrolysis, or natgas fractional cracking & catalysis for hydrogen production (as is done in the US), a hydrogen ICE ends up less efficient & overall more polluting than does a gasoline ICE.

 

People also don't have to drive as far in Japan, so the atrocious range is less of an issue.

Even if you use nuclear power, though, that's a huge waste of energy. If you're stuck on hydrogen, why not at least run it through a fuel cell to power an electric motor rather than just burning it? That makes no sense at all.

 

QFT. Much more efficient way to use h2. Costs a lot, though.