![Elon Musk Calls “Bull5h17!” on Hydrogen Fuel Cell](https://i0.wp.com/www.greenoptimistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1-Fullscreen-capture-10232013-104213-AM.jpg?resize=640%2C359&ssl=1)
Word Association: Hydrogen Fuel Cell → Platinum, Compressed, Electric, Expensive, Electrolysis.
This were the first words that came to my mind when I wrote “Hydrogen Fuel Cell,” but the first word that comes to the mind of Elon Musk, South-African billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of electric vehicle startup Tesla Motors, is “Bull5h17!” Granted, this is far from any list of words that I had come up with, maybe far down on the bottom of the list, just below Sarah Palin, perhaps, but I can understand Elon Musk’s point.
In a Tesla enthusiast’s gathering in Munich, Germany, Elon Musk talked about the successes and plans for the Tesla Model S in Germany, Tesla Motors’ “top focus in the world.” Tesla Motors plans on adding an extensive Supercharger network and even tuning the Tesla Model S for high speed to run on the Autobahn, as well as an updated navigation system that can include charging stops in your itinerary.
Fast forward to 16:14 for the beginning of Elon Musk’s presentation. At some point, around 29:20 in the video, Elon Musk tangents into hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, fast forward to hear his feelings on this: [priceless]
http://youtu.be/MmQb94EF1UY?t=16m14s
What’s the problem with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles? First, they’re ridiculously expensive. Current prototypes are expected to sell no less than $50,000 for a basic sedan. Secondly, their range isn’t particularly that great and you can’t just refuel anywhere, not even in your home, like with an electric vehicle. Thirdly, the current-best-method for hydrogen production is via natural gas reformation, which is linked to fracking, which is, well, just all bad.
Elon Musk would rather have hydrogen for his rockets in SpaceX, anyway.
Image © YouTube
Too bad you couldn’t resist the childish snipe at Sarah Palin…. until then you were alright.