Four Days at the Wheel of a Hydrogen Car

Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Two days between fill ups for Hydrogen cars, and limited availability of filling stations seem a detriment, requiring one to stick around town.  Perhaps once these GM hydrogen cars are up and running for the consumer, filling stations as well will be up and running throughout the country, but only if enough Hydrogen cars are on the road to make it feasible.

Granted sticker shock may keep some consumers away in droves, but with less rotating parts e.g engine, fan belts etc.  Perhaps less maintenance and repair will  make the Hydrogen Car more cost effective in the long run. 

Of course  mechanics everywhere who wish to  repair these vehicles will need to upgrade their skill sets, but then that is a given as they pretty much do this anyway with today's gas driven cars. 

So let's hope Car Manufacturers (Toyota and Honda for example) don't charge us a arm and a leg for repairs and parts for their vehicles.  Car manufacturers such as GM manufacture car parts which are interchangeable between different car models, makes and year.  Other car manufacturers (Toyota and Honda screw us over as anyone knows who has tried to get parts for their gas car, only to find out they don't make that part anymore, or they do not cross over from other models, hence a bigger markup for the car manufacturer.  I am looking at you Honda, Toyota!!!!   

In 2005, Honda wanted to charge me $49:00 dollars for a thermostat gasket, hmmm I didn't know cardboard made for these gaskets was equal to Gold on the commodities market?

Needless to say a "Craven A" cigarette pack, made of this same cardboard as well, (as most Canadian made cigarette packs) did the trick when I traced the thermostat housing outline on the pack, and three years later it (Honda) is still running trouble free.  Now how is that for recycling cigarette packs!!!   Somehow , somewhere, out there is a Honda  Vice president, looking at his fat bonus cheque and cursing at me.

Chevy's for the most part, all their car parts are interchangeable between any year from the 1980s to present with certain specific parts the exception, they all share the  same parts.  Though I think so do Chrysler and Ford do as well.

Though Hydrogen seems to be an easy alternative, they still contribute to Green House gas in their manufacture.

Perhaps further development of technology will reduce that eco problem.

Currently in British Columbia, Ballard Technologies have been developing Hydrogen technology with support from Japan and other vehicle manufacturers.  BC does have a few hydrogen fueled Buses driving around town as test cases to work out any bugs that may be present.

Another good news item, is that in order to run for two days on a single fill up, a larger fuel cell is needed, a fuel cell larger than most cars can fit inside, making SUV's ideal for the application.

If hydrogen fuel cells do take off, our ailing North American SUV manufacturing market may get the breath of life it needs in getting previously laid off workers gainfully employed again.

In ending, perhaps the SUV's will rise again!!