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Like wind, solar,

Natural gas and propane vehicles have

applications, where convenience is

found commercial viability in certain

more important than cost, could

and electricity for

regions of the world where gasoline and

become important soon. . . . Some

transportation,

diesel taxes are high compared with the

experts believe such cells may be

the fuel cell is hard-

United States. Argentina, Italy, and Russia

developed within a decade; others

account for 90 percent of the world's alter-

believe this is far too optimistic. The

ly a revolutionary

native-fuel vehicles; in the United States,

fuel cell for the home or for automo-

technology.

large subsidies have spawned limited activi-

tive use seems a long way off. In gen-

ty in only the most air-polluted markets in

eral there is more optimism about the

the country, such as Los Angeles and New

fuel cell than about any of the other

new energy conversion schemes.1 7 0

York City. Yet of the approximately 400,000

alternative-fuel vehicles in the United

States (a portion of which are dual fuel but

In the last two decades, prototype vehicles

may not be actually using alternative fuels),

have been built and demonstrated in the

90 percent are fueled by propane, com-

United States, Germany, Japan, and several

pressed natural gas, or a close substitute.1 6 9

other countries. The U.S. space program

proved to be the first commercial market for

Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicles

fuel cells, albeit a government-created one.

Mercedes Benz, Toyota, and Chrysler

Because of the above problems of "con-

have been at the forefront of studying

ventional" alternatives to fossil-fueled vehi-

transportation-based fuel cells, and Ford

cles, the environmental community has

and General Motors have joined in as well.

increasingly embraced a completely new

The Department of Energy has steadily

transportation technology--the hydrogen

increased  funding  for  its  National

fuel-cell vehicle.

Hydrogen Program, and a 1996 federal

Potentially reducing emissions by as

law--the Hydrogen Future Act--set forth a

much as 90 percent or more compared with

five-year, $100 million research and devel-

conventional vehicles, the hydrogen fuel-

opment program.1 7 1

cell vehicle--which uses a chemical reaction

with hydrogen and oxygen to produce elec-

A group of researchers at Directed

tricity to create horsepower--has become a

Technologies, under contract to the

popular technology in theory for meeting

Department of Energy, has unveiled "a tech-

the aggressive goals for climate stabiliza-

nically and economically plausible market

tion in the 21st century.

penetration plan that moves smoothly and

Like wind, solar, and electricity for trans-

seamlessly from today's total dependence on

portation, the fuel cell is hardly a revolu-

fossil fuel for transportation to a sustainable

tionary technology. It was invented in 1839,

energy system based on renewable hydro-

and laboratories have been testing fuel cells

gen."1 7 2 The authors added, "Hydrogen in

for more than a century. Hydrogen fuel-cell

any realistic scenario will undoubtedly be

vehicles were first designed and introduced

produced initially from fossil fuels, before

in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Large-

hydrogen produced by renewable energy

sources becomes cost competitive."1 7 3 Thus

scale testing was a casualty of the war, and

for the next few decades further develop-

in the first decades of any transportation

ment languished. A review of America's

makeover, fossil fuels will still be dominant.

energy resources and technology for a U.S.

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, despite hav-

Senate subcommittee in 1962 reported:

ing the advantages of simplified engine

design, better fuel economy, and fewer

The fuel cell is still an experimental

greenhouse gas emissions, face a daunting

idea, although close to some special

problem. Gasoline-powered vehicles are

commercial applications. . . . Specialty

entrenched with a huge sunk-cost asset

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