Article based on Tesla based motorhome.

[radar]

https://electrek.co/2018/06/29/tesla...gn-tesla-semi/

[Scarab0088]

Tesla bus, sure. But not an RV that puts too much need on the charge being available at the destination.

A hydrogen fuel cell is much better suited for an RV...plus, it removes the need for batteries.

Here, it's powering a ferry:
https://www.bendbulletin.com/busines...s-to-the-water

Safe travels

[radar]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Tesla bus, sure. But not an RV that puts too much need on the charge being available at the destination.

A hydrogen fuel cell is much better suited for an RV...plus, it removes the need for batteries.

Here, it's powering a ferry:
https://www.bendbulletin.com/busines...s-to-the-water

Safe travels

Yah hydrogen has some advantages. But it’s pretty hard to find where as power is pretty much everywhere. Hydrogen is also pricey.

It’ll be interesting to watch all the new technologies develop.

[Scarab0088]

Hydrogen fills stations are very simple and will pop-up everywhere they can make a buck. They are already here in our town.

The station only needs a power line and water line feeding a cracker device to split the water into H2 and O.

The Oxygen could be collected and resold if close enough to a market.
The H2 would be sold on-site, no transportation like liquid fuels.

Filling Hydrogen is similar to gas/Diesel - in and out. Whereas charging an electric vehicle requires it sit at the charger for hours and hours. Gonna wire campgrounds? And what about long trips with itinerant stops?

Bus lines could easily do the Tesla model...but RV's? We'll have to see.

Interesting discussion

[radar]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Hydrogen fills stations are very simple and will pop-up everywhere they can make a buck. They are already here in our town.

The station only needs a power line and water line feeding a cracker device to split the water into H2 and O.

The Oxygen could be collected and resold if close enough to a market.
The H2 would be sold on-site, no transportation like liquid fuels.

Filling Hydrogen is similar to gas/Diesel - in and out. Whereas charging an electric vehicle requires it sit at the charger for hours and hours. Gonna wire campgrounds? And what about long trips with itinerant stops?

Bus lines could easily do the Tesla model...but RV's? We'll have to see.

Interesting discussion

That sounds interesting. I know little about how hydrogen vehicles work. Thanks for the input. How is the price competitivity with electric.

[Scarab0088]

Both vehicle types are electric...cost difference is in the source.

Batteries (like Tesla) currently beat fuel cell in costs by over 50% and already enjoy a large market (economy of scale). But as the demand for fuel cells increase cost should drop.

However, batteries have a limited life-span. Reports are that fuel cells have little to no life span issues... they run, and run and run. But they must be serviced (basically cleaning based on how pure the "fuel" was).

Yes, very interesting topic.

[radar]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Both vehicle types are electric...cost difference is in the source.

Batteries (like Tesla) currently beat fuel cell in costs by over 50% and already enjoy a large market (economy of scale). But as the demand for fuel cells increase cost should drop.

However, batteries have a limited life-span. Reports are that fuel cells have little to no life span issues... they run, and run and run. But they must be serviced (basically cleaning based on how pure the "fuel" was).

Yes, very interesting topic.

I think I get it now. They still are essentially the same as my leaf but the electricity is generated on board. Cool concept. I think Honda has one on the road that must work like this. The clarity??? I might be wrong on the name.

John.

[Scarab0088]

Yes, and the Toyota Mirai
https://ssl.toyota.com/mirai/fcv.html

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Both vehicle types are electric...cost difference is in the source.

Batteries (like Tesla) currently beat fuel cell in costs by over 50% and already enjoy a large market (economy of scale). But as the demand for fuel cells increase cost should drop.

However, batteries have a limited life-span. Reports are that fuel cells have little to no life span issues... they run, and run and run. But they must be serviced (basically cleaning based on how pure the "fuel" was).

Yes, very interesting topic.

There is a number of electric transit busses operating here in the Los Angeles area. The acceleration is better than the LNG Diesels that they are replacing, and much quieter.

On the topic of fuel cells...
There is an annual amateur radio event in late June called "Field Day" where the hams go out and set up temporary stations (i.e. practice for local disaster response). The event is run as a contest and you get points by making contacts with other stations over a specific 24 hour period.
The Pasadena Radio Club borrows a private school parking lot for the event and the club members bring out their motor homes, tents, etc. Even a couple of trailers with 40-50 foot guyed antenna towers on them. For the last few years a couple of the NASA-JPL engineers have brought out a prototype fuel cell and a cylinder of hydrogen. If I remember correctly the unit produces 2kw of DC and in 24 hours used about 1/3 of a single cylinder - and except for a 1 to 2-second long "hisssssss" every 4-5 minutes did it in total silence. One of the engineers told me that as long as you use industrial-quality bottled hydrogen there is next-to-zero maintenance. Also he said that the power output is dependent on the temperature - as it gets colder the available DC current gets lower but the voltage is rock-steady... but from roughly 40-130 degrees F the fuel cell is completely happy.
In two words: Very Impressive.