Hydrogen Tour Highlights Obstacles

For the record, I am not in the pocket of Big Oil.

This does not deter my inherent skepticism, though, of hydrogen as a viable, widespread alternative automobile fuel.

Ironically, this skepticism only increased with the launch of the Hydrogen Tour, which began this week and is making its way from Portland, Maine, to 31 cities and 18 states. The tour, organized by the Department of Energy and the California Fuel Cell Partnership, features a fleet of hydrogen vehicles from nine major automakers.

With only 62 hydrogen stations in the entire country, though, the cars are being carried part of the way by fossil fuel-powered semi trucks that get 8-10 mpg. The hydrogen cars will also sip occasionally from “portable fueling stations” (presumably these are not being transported by magic, but also by internal combustion engines).

While the road trip’s organizers said this is part of the point — to raise awareness of the need for fueling infrastructure — it seems more like trying to raise awareness of endangered sea tortoises by executing a few sea tortoises.

Gentlemen, Start Your Fuel Cells! The Hydrogen Road Tour Takes Off (Wheels)