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The history of the fuel cell can be traced back to the 19th century. Since then the development and usage of fuel cells in a variety of applications have come a long way. Fuel cells hold great promise for fueling alternative fuel vehicles. Here is some of the history of the development of fuel cells:

* William Grove invented the fuel cell in 1839.

* General Electric invented proton exchange membrane fuel cells in the 1950s

* Francis Bacon demonstrated a 5kW alkaline fuel cell in 1959.

* NASA’s use of fuel cells during the Apollo space missions in the 1960s was the first commercial use of fuel cells.

* Alkaline fuel cells have flown over 100 missions and operated for more than 80,000 hours in spacecrafts operated by NASA.

* The US Navy has been using fuel cells in submarines since the 1980s

* Fuel cell buses are running in several cities around the world, the largest being the European Union backed CUTE project (Clean Urban Transport for Europe).

* All major automakers have prototypes of alternative fuel vehicles using fuel cells on the road-some have already been leased to customers.

* Iceland has plans to convert its fishing fleet from diesel engines to hydrogen fuel cells as part of a national project to create a fossil fuel free economy

* Several car manufacturers are hoping to produce their first semi-commercial models of fuel cell cars by 2005, yet they will most probably not be mass produced until 2010.

* Numerous fuel cell products will be coming to market-portable direct methanol fuel cells will power mobile phones, laptops and cameras in the near future

* A fuel cell is around 60% efficient at converting fuel to power, double the efficiency of an internal combustion gas engine-which makes it perfect for alternative fuel vehicles.

Fuel cells have several advantages over conventional power sources like internal combustion gas engines or batteries. Additionally, there are disadvantages facing manufacturers hoping to commercialize fuel cells. See how they stack up as the next best fuel for alternative fuel vehicles.

Advantages

* Fuel cells reduce pollution that is caused by the burning of fossil fuels-their only by-product is water

* If the hydrogen used in the fuel cell comes from the electrolysis of water, then using fuel cells will eliminate greenhouse gases

* Because fuel cells don’t need conventional fuels like oil or gas, they eliminate economic dependence on politically unstable countries

* Since hydrogen can be manufactured anywhere there is water and electricity, production of potential fuel can be allocated in various areas

* Fuel cells operate at a higher efficiency than diesel or gas engines which makes them an ideal source of efficient power for alternative fuel vehicles

* Most fuel cells operate silently, while internal combustion engines do not

* Fuel cells can operate for longer times than batteries, therefore to double the operating time, only the fuel needs to be doubled and not the capacity of the unit itself

* The maintenance of fuel cells is relatively straightforward since there are few moving parts in the system

Disadvantages

* Energizing fuel cells continues to be a major problem while production, transportation, distribution and storage of hydrogen remains difficult

* Reforming hydrocarbons via a reformer to produce hydrogen is technically challenging and not actually environmentally friendly

* The refuelling and the starting time of fuel cell vehicles are longer, while the driving range is shorter than in a conventional vehicle

* Fuel cells are normally somewhat larger than comparable batteries or engines, however, the size of the units continues to decrease with research and testing

* Fuel cells are currently expensive to produce, since most units are hand-made and some use expensive materials

* The technology is not yet fully developed, therefore few products are readily available

Although hydrogen fuel cells appear to be the most promising source of alternative fuel, other sources are being researched and tested. Alternative transportation fuels provide economic advantages while also offering significant environmental benefits.

They offer air quality advantages through reduced emissions and some fuels produce less greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. There’s significant research being conducted worldwide. Canada, for example, is recognized as a world leader in the development and use of alternative transportation fuels with more than 170,000 alternative fuel vehicles in use across Canada. Some of the most promising alternative fuel sources being suggested for future use in motor vehicles are:

* Ethanol * Propane
* Natural gas
* Biodiesel
* Electricity
* Hydrogen

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess what the future holds for alternative fuel vehicles.

� 2004 AllAboutHybridCars.com and Andrea Susan Glass. Any reproduction of this article in any manner is prohibited without the consent of AllAboutHybridCars.com. We give permission to use this article on your website or e-zine if you reproduce it exactly as it appears here including this notice. Visit http://www.AllAboutHybridCars.com/eBook.htm to order your FREE report, "7 Critical Facts Everyone should Know Before Buying a Hybrid Car."

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Hybrid cars cost about $5,000 more than non-hybrids. In addition, hybrids involve two systems – the extra electrical components (electric motor, charging system, batteries, etc.) and most all the components of a gasoline car. Such vehicles increase the potential for repairs from the additional system.

The Japanese and Europeans have micro cars that are fuel efficient. At this time, however, they are not offered to Americans.

Diesels are an alternative. BMW has a 320di with 160 horsepower. It gets about 50 mpg and goes 0-60 is about 8.1 seconds. However, this car is not imported into the United States.

Kia and Hyundai are rising in quality, but their prices are coming up just under pricey Toyota and Honda cars.

The cost of transportation can be expensive, and higher fuel prices do not help matters. The following used vehicles have good ratings, are reasonably priced, and they will help lower fuel usage and thus costs.

1. The Toyota Corolla has been around for over 30 years. During the last few years, the Corolla has become a bit larger. Expect to achieve about 30 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and about 40 mpg on the highway with this vehicle.

2. The Honda Civic has been a stiff rival to the Corolla. The Civic has also recently grown a bit in size. The Civic is right there with the Corolla at about 30 mpg in the city and about 40 mpg on the highway.

3. The Geo Prizm will cost about $1,000- $1,500 less than a comparable year Corolla or Civic. The Prizm will achieve about 29 mpg city and about 38 mpg on the highway.

SUVs can really eat the fuel, however, they are convenient for hauling cargo, and some definitely have a real advantage in bad weather and off-road conditions.

4. The Suzuki Esteem wagon provides some cargo-carrying ability and reasonable fuel economy. Expect to achieve about 28 mpg in the city and about 37 mpg on the highway with this vehicle.

5. The Subaru Legacy wagon/Outback wagon and Forester can all carry cargo plus they have all-wheel drive. These vehicles generally have the most powerful engines out of those mentioned above. Expect to achieve about 22 mpg in the city and about 27 mpg on the highway.

If you are in the market for a vehicle, be certain to do your homework. Consult the April (automotive issue) of "Consumer Reports." This resource is available at most public libraries.

If you plan on buying a used vehicle, also be sure to read a couple of archived new vehicle road tests (review road tests that were conducted at the time the vehicle was new) on the used vehicle of interest in auto magazines (many are archived at your local library) or Internet sources such as "Car and Driver," "Motor Trend," "Road & Track," or "MotorWeek." Information from the road tests will allow you to zero in on which of the vehicles discussed above will be the best for you.

Last, but not least, be certain that you do not overpay to drive a fuel-efficient vehicle. For example, if you pay say $1,500 more for a vehicle that achieves five mpg more than your current vehicle, you would need to drive it about three years to get $1,500 in fuel savings. However, say you pay an extra $500 for a vehicle that achieves 10 mpg more than your current vehicle. In a little over six months, you would recoup your $500.

Kyle Busch is the author of "Drive the Best for the Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan and Save Money." His web site: www.drivethebestbook.com accepts all transportation questions.

� 2005 Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch is the author of "Drive the Best for the price …" His web site http://www.drivethebestbook.com accepts all transportation questions.

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