| With gas prices being so high,
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| | which does give off emissions. As the
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| alternative fuel vehicles have become a
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| | electric grid gets cleaner, though, so do
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| popular topic. Two of the types of
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| | electric cars, and electric powered cars
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| vehicles that tend to get a lot of press
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| | are substantially less polluting than
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| are the hydrogen fuel cell powered
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| | gasoline powered cars due to the fact
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| vehicles and electric powered vehicles.
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| | that power plants are far cleaner and
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| Both are lauded as the way of the future
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| | more efficient than an internal
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| But which of these two options are really
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| | combustion engine in a vehicle.
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| has the better chance of being the car
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| | The technology for mainstream electric
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| your children drive.
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| | cars is also not quite ready for all the
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| Let's look at hydrogen fuel cells first.
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| | major manufacturers to stop making
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| When burned in an engine, the only
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| | gasoline powered cars, but it's much
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| emissions giving off is water, so a
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| | closer than hydrogen currently is. The
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| hydrogen powered vehicle is a zero
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| | challenge with electric cars right now is
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| emission vehicle. Hydrogen is also a
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| | the batteries. The batteries are both
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| better fuel than gasoline, it actually
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| | expensive and current models, like the
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| has the highest energy content per unit
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| | Tesla Roadster, have a range of only 250
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| of weight of any known fuel.
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| | miles - great for commuting, but not so
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| Hydrogen is also a very abundant element.
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| | good for road trips. The other problem
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| While current methods for making
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| | is the length of time these vehicles take
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| hydrogen are done by using fossil fuels,
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| | to charge. It's not simply a matter
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| such as natural gas, coal, and oil,
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| | stopping at your local power station and
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| American wouldn't be dependent on foreign
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| | plugging in for five minutes and leaving.
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| oil anymore. Also, hydrogen can be
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| | A typical charging cycle for current
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| extracted from water, and we all know
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| | prototypes is 4-5 hours - again, fine if
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| there's a lot of water on this planet.
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| | you're commuting, but impossible for a
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| However, hydrogen is not without its
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| | road trip. While technology is being
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| share of drawbacks. Probably the biggest
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| | developed to make charging your vehicle
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| problem right now is that it would
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| | as quick as quick as filling up with gas,
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| require an entire new infrastructure.
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| | it has a ways to go before it's ready,
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| While gas stations could be outfitted
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| | just like hydrogen fuel cells.
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| with hydrogen fueling stations that would
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| | Fleets of electric cars will certainly be
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| take years. Also, the technology to
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| | hitting the roads sooner hydrogen fuel
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| store hydrogen efficiently is still not
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| | cell cars, but which one ultimately ends
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| ready for prime time.
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| | up being the vehicle of choice for
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| Then there's the electric car. Electric
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| | American drivers remains to be seen as
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| cars can also be considered zero emission
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| | both have plenty of challenges to
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| vehicles since they give off no emission
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| | overcome before people will readily give
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| when running. However, electric cars do
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| | up their cheap gas powered cars in favor
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| require power from the electric grid,
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| | of these alternatives.
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