drive on what you drink?
CNN has an article on the future of ethanol use for cars.
One of the complaints about hydrogen, that we'd have to completely rebuild our distribution and manufacturing infrastructure, is to me a benefit on the manufacturing side. I think to a large extent we're limiting our automotive technologies because (reasonably) we have a vast infrastructure for creating a specific type of car. One of the exicting things about the GM Fuel Cell Vehicles is that they are re-engineered from the ground up, so aren't limited by things like traditional transmissions or steering columns.
Maybe ethanol could give us the best of both worlds? A more ecologically friendly and available fuel source that leverages the existing infrastructure. Then there would still be the possibility for some company to make a completely new type of car. I guess, though, that this possibility exists for gasoline just as well, yet it hasn't happened (excepting some advancements made for hybrids of course).
One of the complaints about hydrogen, that we'd have to completely rebuild our distribution and manufacturing infrastructure, is to me a benefit on the manufacturing side. I think to a large extent we're limiting our automotive technologies because (reasonably) we have a vast infrastructure for creating a specific type of car. One of the exicting things about the GM Fuel Cell Vehicles is that they are re-engineered from the ground up, so aren't limited by things like traditional transmissions or steering columns.
Maybe ethanol could give us the best of both worlds? A more ecologically friendly and available fuel source that leverages the existing infrastructure. Then there would still be the possibility for some company to make a completely new type of car. I guess, though, that this possibility exists for gasoline just as well, yet it hasn't happened (excepting some advancements made for hybrids of course).