Originally Posted by AFCommuter
I haven't completely read this thread so someone may have already replied to this comment. If you go to the following link...
http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/...you will see that there are people doing exactly what you suggested. Thing is are you willing to pay 12-14000 dollars for the conversion plus spare parts, you turn your $20,000 car into a $35,000 car without adding any value (unless someone else you happen to sell your car to want's the technology). It would take over 14 years to recoup the money invested since with modest driving most people spend about $1,000/year on gas (double that if you're truely addicted to the car) and you're still looking at 7 years to recoup...this is a major investment. Anyway that aside the only thing that will force the issue is demand, if people stop buying SUV's or buy only hybrid cars or hydrogen cars then it will force the auto makers to conform, right now there is no incentive for them to invest the time or money into these technology.
As far as the comment about not being able to commute on bike it all has to do with priority, if your priority is to sleep in hop in your car and just barely make it to work you will pay for the gas, if your priority is to save money on gas get extra exercise and make it into work energized you will bike and make the sacrifices. I have a job where my uniforms must be pressed nicely (no creases) and present a professional image 24/7 so I drive my uniforms in on Monday and bike the rest of the days, if you have a job where you can neatly fold your cloths and put them in a backpack or saddle bag you can easily bike every day.
My last comment (kinda long for a first post I know) is about your comment on oil being finite, we really don't even know how oil is made last time I checked (I'm no expert by a long shot but this is just what I've read). We used to be convinced it was the liquified bodies of ancient creatures (dinosaurs etc...) but that was disproven long ago. It could be very likely that the earth continually makes this stuff at depths that we do not have visibility into.
Alright, let the bullets fly, I'm used to it...
Yeah, you're right, you didn't read the rest. Others have already posted all the "this won't ever work because..." scenarios......except the "government conspiracy" bit. I've been waiting for that one to come up too. That must be it.....Where's Mulder when you need him?
And surely none of you believe that the supply of oil or anything else on this planet for that matter is infinite. Guys, look outside the box...there is a finite supply of EVERYTHING! Oil, air, water, lava, iron ore, bauxite, it don't matter. There's only so much of it at any one time. Granted, some of these resources are renewable, (wood, for example), but you can cut the forest down a hell of a lot faster than it will grow back. And when you cut the last tree down, will there be any more? Ok, maybe the earth does make more oil as time goes by, but like you said, who knows? If it can make an infinite supply, and cranks it out everyday, why isn't the ocean full of oil instead of water? Or maybe it's like blood, when some leaks out, it makes more to make up for the loss. People have been known to bleed to death, so why wouldn't the earth? Oooh...now that's a scary thought. Suppose we suck it dry, what happens then? Would the Earth die?
I liked the idea someone else said that GM had back in the 50's about nuclear powered cars. A near....i said "NEAR" infinte supply of power, and you don't even have to worry about accidents. Wouldn't be anything left but a big hole in the ground.