"tapzz" (tapzz)
11/17/2014 at 10:05 • Filed to: bmw i, hydrogen, toyota mirai
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"tapzz" (tapzz)
11/17/2014 at 10:05 • Filed to: bmw i, hydrogen, toyota mirai | 0
| 15 |
It's not just a Supra anymore, toto. BMW will make a hydrogen powered i5 to slot above the i3, with some help from their buddies at Toyota.
The idea is that the new i car will have the drivetrain of the Mirai, the Toyota Formerly Known as the FCV.
The goal is to steal a march on the other Germans and launch ahead of the already announced hydrogen Mercedes B class, which is expected in 2017. So within the next three years, if this doesn't prove to be vapourware of the wrong kind. Bear in mind that the Mirai will be available in Japan in April next year, and the rest of the world in the summer. The tech is there.
Interpolating a bit between the Mirai's price in Japan, and how the i3 relates to the 3 series, I'm guessing we'd be looking at something that'll be broadly 3 series Gran Turismo sized, costs as much as a mid range 5 series, will go 500 km (300 miles) on a tank, can be refuelled in 5 minutes and emits only water vapour.
Hydrogen haters be hatin', me be drivin'
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Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 10:12 |
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Hydrogen cars are a good idea, I wont drive one, but a good idea. Now if only someone could figure out how to do it safely
Kaizer Soze
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
11/17/2014 at 10:17 |
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I don't think it's any less safe than having gasoline in a tank. The problem stems from the energy savings of hydrogen fuel being offset by the cost of actually producing the hydrogen in the first place.
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Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> Kaizer Soze
11/17/2014 at 10:21 |
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Except a hydrogen fuel cell is pressurized, so in the event of a crash an explosion will occur
Cé hé sin
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
11/17/2014 at 10:26 |
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They have. H2 is no worse than petrol.
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Kaizer Soze
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
11/17/2014 at 10:47 |
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Only if it ruptures the fuel cell which, if they designed it right, should be less likely than the gas tank being ruptured. Because it is pressurized it uses up less space and should be easier to put in a less vulnerable place. In the case of a rupture tho you are fucked haha.
BaconSandwich is tasty.
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 10:54 |
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Interesting, but I'm not sold on the idea. With an electric car, I can plug it in and charge it at my house/work. I can also produce my own electricity a lot easier than I can produce my own hydrogen. Yes, the time to refuel is a lot shorter and the range is better, but I'm still not sold.
TheHondaBro
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 11:17 |
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Well at least they're not trying to hide it.
dmcspeedy
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 11:48 |
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The great thing with hydrogen fuel is that, as we all learned in high school, hydrogen is lighter than air. So the more you put in the tank, the better your power/weight ratio becomes, which benefits both efficiency and performance.
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tapzz
> Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
11/17/2014 at 12:18 |
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No, it won't, as this neat video from more than 30 years ago proves:
Granted, modern hydrogen tanks tend to use carbon nanotubes rather than hydrides, but they should function in exactly the same way.
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tapzz
> BaconSandwich is tasty.
11/17/2014 at 12:19 |
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I see your point, but my inability to generate my own petrol or diesel isn't stopping me from using it in a car :-)
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Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 12:23 |
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Thats really cool. Plus its in Denver!
Tapas
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 14:36 |
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Unfortunately, the production version won't look nearly as good as this sketch.
I remember how awesome the i3 sketch was. Production version looks like an advanced alien golf cart with a nice interior.
Also, what does your name mean? Are you a plumber, a tapping aficionado?
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BaconSandwich is tasty.
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 15:08 |
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True, but you have to admit - at one point or another, we will need to investigate other fuel sources. If we continue with our current levels of consumption, prices will rise to the point where the average person won't be able to purchase fuel. Fossil fuels are a limited resource. We can't easily make more - unless we do things like bio-diesel, corn alcohol or similar things - which often require more energy to produce than they output.
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tapzz
> BaconSandwich is tasty.
11/17/2014 at 15:32 |
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Quite right- and that's why I'm so stoked about hydrogen. In a sense, we're not lacking clean energy at all; there's oodles of it swirling all around us in the form of solar, wind, hydro, tidal and other natural forms. The only problem has been storing it so that we can have a reliable stream when and where we want it, and I think hydrogen is our best storage bet yet.
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BaconSandwich is tasty.
> tapzz
11/17/2014 at 18:32 |
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I catch your drift now. I could get behind that.