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Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,237
7,271
Seattle
The thing that I am curious about with hydrogen is if the tanks need to be pressure tested. I know with scuba tanks and co2 tanks for paintball you have to get the tanks pressure tested every 3-5 years. Seems like you'd have to do the same thing for hydrogen since it is under a lot of pressure.
And because hydrogen leaks out of tanks and causes metal tanks be become brittle.
 

JT2002TJ

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2013
2,057
1,386
The thing that I am curious about with hydrogen is if the tanks need to be pressure tested. I know with scuba tanks and co2 tanks for paintball you have to get the tanks pressure tested every 3-5 years. Seems like you'd have to do the same thing for hydrogen since it is under a lot of pressure.

My concern with any pressurized gas system is the travel limitations with bridges and tunnels. It would become a problem with many of the NJ/NY crossings that someday could get you in a lot of trouble. NY/NJ does not play when it comes to protecting crossings since 9/11.

I used to carry a 15 lbs CO2 tank in my Jeep wrangler, used to refill tires after offroading or running air tools. I used to have to be careful (I lived in NJ and worked in NY) which crossing I used. The tank was inside clamped to the inside of the rollbar (safe from rollovers). I didn't take any chances. A vehicle where the fuel system is compressed gas would probably be identified by AI and set off alarms...

Although it says LP it applies to all compressed gas tanks:

Source: https://triptik.aaa.com/help/pdf/RV-Bridge-Ferry-Tunnel-Guide-3-26-20.pdf
LP gas is prohibited in the Holland Tunnel between Manhattan and Jersey City; the lower level of the George Washington Bridge Expressway (I-95 South) between Manhattan and Fort Lee; and in the Lincoln Tunnel between Manhattan and Weehawken.

The "Red Book" here

1723721375055.png


There are times when some of the crossings are closed for construction.
 

cosmichobo

macrumors 6502a
May 4, 2006
986
603
AUD $40K to convert seems incredibly low. Even if you have a donor car for the battery parts.

The batteries can support way more miles than most people will ever drive a car. And even then, when finished, they are still perfectly suitable for home storage.

You need a lot of electricity, and a large non existent infrastructure

This 2021 article says about $30k:

This 2022 article says $20k, tho depends on the range you are after.

Can't find it now, but I know I saw another article saying about $40k. All figures being AUD.
 

cyb3rdud3

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2014
4,050
2,724
UK
This 2021 article says about $30k:

This 2022 article says $20k, tho depends on the range you are after.

Can't find it now, but I know I saw another article saying about $40k. All figures being AUD.
Yes exactly, AUD isn’t worth a lot. A good battery pack without any kind of battery management system let alone fabrication would cost that much. Those prices are way off.
 

hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,119
931
on the land line mr. smith.
My concern with any pressurized gas system is the travel limitations with bridges and tunnels. It would become a problem with many of the NJ/NY crossings that someday could get you in a lot of trouble. NY/NJ does not play when it comes to protecting crossings since 9/11.

I used to carry a 15 lbs CO2 tank in my Jeep wrangler, used to refill tires after offroading or running air tools. I used to have to be careful (I lived in NJ and worked in NY) which crossing I used. The tank was inside clamped to the inside of the rollbar (safe from rollovers). I didn't take any chances. A vehicle where the fuel system is compressed gas would probably be identified by AI and set off alarms...
Been wondering this too, as well as the useful life of the tank. Somewhat like EV batteries, it may not be cost-effective to replace an aging or damaged tank.

While EV batteries do pose a unique fire threat and are hard to extinguish, typically occupants can exit the vehicle before it is fully engulfed. And, with LFP and other chemistries and designs coming online, the battery fire risk has been going down steadily just in a few years, and it looks like the trend will continue...with the very real chance that EV fire risk will become negligible.

Hydrogen? Very, very high pressure, very flammable, and a continuous risk of catastrophic explosion. Did everybody see the Ukrainian use of a surplus tank as a weapon? Scary.
 
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Eric5h5

macrumors 68020
Dec 9, 2004
2,494
604
EV fire risk is already far lower than gas cars. It might not seem that way since every! single! EV fire is reported on, but the stats show otherwise. Hybrids, however, have a much higher risk than both. Hydrogen makes no sense, and seems to be geared toward those who really want to keep going to some sort of gas station at all costs (not that you can find any).
 
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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,297
25,438
Wales, United Kingdom
EV fire risk is already far lower than gas cars. It might not seem that way since every! single! EV fire is reported on, but the stats show otherwise. Hybrids, however, have a much higher risk than both. Hydrogen makes no sense, and seems to be geared toward those who really want to keep going to some sort of gas station at all costs (not that you can find any).

Absolutely. The problem arises if they happen to be in a fire (not necessarily the cause) as they take so much more water to distinguish. A large car showroom in South Wales near me burnt down a few nights ago and a friend of mine who is a fire fighter told me over 200 cars were lost, but around 60 of them were electric and electric hybrids. He said they didn’t cause it but were an immense challenge to put out. They had to use a local lake to source from.
89aea05e29434393dfd5bf1331d54e34.jpg


It is incredible though whenever EV’s are discussed on public forums there is an overwhelming contingent that say they’ll never have one because they catch fire. I think latest stats suggest they are 20 times less likely to ignite than the average ICE vehicle. So many people suggest hydrogen is the technology they’d go for instead yet range is lower and it sort of contradicts the fire risk worries they have for EV’s lol.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,912
55,850
Behind the Lens, UK
EV fire risk is already far lower than gas cars. It might not seem that way since every! single! EV fire is reported on, but the stats show otherwise. Hybrids, however, have a much higher risk than both. Hydrogen makes no sense, and seems to be geared toward those who really want to keep going to some sort of gas station at all costs (not that you can find any).
So true. Not only are EV’s safer, they often get blamed for fires nothing to do with them. A couple of years back there was a fire at Luton Airport car park. Nothing to do with EV’s, yet some reports blamed an EV for starting it.
So much misinformation out there.
 
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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,297
25,438
Wales, United Kingdom
So true. Not only are EV’s safer, they often get blamed for fires nothing to do with them. A couple of years back there was a fire at Luton Airport car park. Nothing to do with EV’s, yet some reports blamed an EV for starting it.
So much misinformation out there.

That fire still gets shared with people using it as an example of EV fires, yet it was caused by an electrical fault in a diesel Land Rover lol. Even when causes are publicly reported, many will take no notice at all as long as it supports an agenda.
 

jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
11,338
29,918
SoCal
a setback for the US/Canada EV market:

Ford only offers pickups/SUVs with the exception of the "classic" Mustang, no passenger cars.

makes me wonder what GM will do especially with the new Bolt.
 

AlaskaMoose

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2008
3,585
13,429
Alaska
EV fire risk is already far lower than gas cars. It might not seem that way since every! single! EV fire is reported on, but the stats show otherwise. Hybrids, however, have a much higher risk than both. Hydrogen makes no sense, and seems to be geared toward those who really want to keep going to some sort of gas station at all costs (not that you can find any).
Perhaps you are correct, but you have to consider the total number of ICE automobiles versus the total number of EV's. Besides, what makes a present EV battery dangerous is not the possibility that it can catch afire, but the extremely high temperatures encountered in metallic fires, and what it does to nearby environment, animal life, en so on. An EV battery fire in a crowded parking area under a multi apartment building can create a lot more problems that an ICE vehicle "on fire" on the same parking space. But it is very possible that future batteries will be safer than existing ones, because "product safety" is something that cannot be ignored. A safer product reduces possible litigations.

If hydrogen makes no sense, how about other energies used for propulsion, including jet fuel? How about the dangers associated with nuclear energy, the development of X-ray in the medical field, and so on? What makes no sense is to not continue the quest for and development of all "possible" sources of energy.
 
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Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
56,912
55,850
Behind the Lens, UK
Perhaps you are correct, but you have to consider the total number of ICE automobiles versus the total number of EV's. If hydrogen makes no sense, how about other energies used for propulsion, including jet fuel? How about the dangers associated with nuclear energy, the development of X-ray in the medical field, and so on? What makes no sense is to not continue the quest for all sources of energy.
Incorrect. The fingers are for the amount of car fires by type per 10,000 cars so the facts are clear.

It’s just these facts don’t suit the anti EV brigade.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,297
25,438
Wales, United Kingdom
Perhaps you are correct, but you have to consider the total number of ICE automobiles versus the total number of EV's.
That makes absolutely no difference at all to the way the data is gathered. It’s done proportionately to give a genuine segment for analysis. For every million EV’s sold, less spontaneously catch fire per million ICE vehicles sold. On current stats an EV is suggested as being 20 times less likely to catch fire. An EV fire will get significantly more publicity though and this is funded by petrochemical companies that use social media to promote that sort of agenda. People not keen on change will gladly make such articles go viral free of charge too.
 
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AlaskaMoose

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2008
3,585
13,429
Alaska
Incorrect. The fingers are for the amount of car fires by type per 10,000 cars so the facts are clear.

It’s just these facts don’t suit the anti EV brigade.
I could be incorrect, of course :)
But putting aside the notion of both an anti-EV or a pro-EV brigade, the most important to all life and the environment is to continue our efforts to improve or make all products that we make, safer. Blaming one side or another does not make any "brigade" right.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,297
25,438
Wales, United Kingdom
I could be incorrect, of course :)
But putting aside the notion of both an anti-EV or a pro-EV brigade, the most important to all life and the environment is to continue our efforts to improve or make all products that we make, safer. Blaming one side or another does not make any "brigade" right.

Regardless of where you stand, if you care about the environment, the odd EV fire and all the mineral mining on the planet is more environmentally friendly than 16 billion ICE vehicles running across all continents.
 

Surfsalot

Suspended
Mar 18, 2023
2,049
2,026
That makes absolutely no difference at all to the way the data is gathered. It’s done proportionately to give a genuine segment for analysis. For every million EV’s sold, less spontaneously catch fire per million ICE vehicles sold. On current stats an EV is suggested as being 20 times less likely to catch fire. An EV fire will get significantly more publicity though and this is funded by petrochemical companies that use social media to promote that sort of agenda. People not keen on change will gladly make such articles go viral free of charge too.
It's the E-bikes getting all the publicity here from catching on fire while charging, probably cheap bikes/batteries.
My son lives in Copenhagen and just sent me a photo of a apartment block near him on fire from a e-bike.

Don't see/hear any e-cars catching fire in garages etc Although not as many here yet, only ones you see are Teslas out of Sydney/Brisbane, I live half way. Would be hard to have one here as the closest service centre would be 6 hours drive.

Plenty of hybrid cars which I tried just recently and didn't like them.

I personally would never go EV until charging stations are or close to as common as petrol stations.

Mrs has a 3 year old suzuki swift has done 15,000km's just around town, no point swapping it to a EV.

Can't tell me anyone that's been around awhile really likes driving a silent car lol
 

AlaskaMoose

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2008
3,585
13,429
Alaska
Regardless of where you stand, if you care about the environment, the odd EV fire and all the mineral mining on the planet is more environmentally friendly than 16 billion ICE vehicles running across all continents.
Perhaps, but in reality we only hear or see what we believe as being true or not. It is a smoke and mirrors show; we are the spectators. Regardless of which human-made item is, a vehicle, house, and so on, it affects all life and the environment. Who is to say that one is better or worse than the rest? Fuels of numerous kinds and electricity are used for the gathering the materials, the construction, and the delivering of all products (even our homes and belongings inside). All we can do is to improve what we make; make them safer and more efficient. At the present time there aren't any ethical means to reduce the human populations around the wold. The more of us, the more things, and foods we need and want :)
 
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jz0309

Contributor
Sep 25, 2018
11,338
29,918
SoCal

hobowankenobi

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2015
2,119
931
on the land line mr. smith.
Perhaps you are correct, but you have to consider the total number of ICE automobiles versus the total number of EV's. Besides, what makes a present EV battery dangerous is not the possibility that it can catch afire, but the extremely high temperatures encountered in metallic fires, and what it does to nearby environment, animal life, en so on. An EV battery fire in a crowded parking area under a multi apartment building can create a lot more problems that an ICE vehicle "on fire" on the same parking space. But it is very possible that future batteries will be safer than existing ones, because "product safety" is something that cannot be ignored. A safer product reduces possible litigations.

If hydrogen makes no sense, how about other energies used for propulsion, including jet fuel? How about the dangers associated with nuclear energy, the development of X-ray in the medical field, and so on? What makes no sense is to not continue the quest for and development of all "possible" sources of energy.
Sorry man, you are not on solid ground.

Fuel fires are many times more frequent than battery fires (per miles driven), so by your own argument of product safety, we should be moving away from flammable fuels.

There are already non-flammable batteries in testing, that will ramp to production in less than a decade. Good luck finding non-flammable fuel. The clock is ticking on burning stuff for most propulsion and nearly all forms of energy. What makes sense is to accelerate energy and transportation away from combustion.

If we want to talk about rare but possible outliers, google houses exploding due to gas leaks. And gas station fires. Both are rare, but horrifying (not unlike battiery fires), but those...we just shrug and accept...Why? I suppose because they make sense. Flammable stuff burns. Somehow the anti-EV crowd ignores these while preaching the dangers of rare battery fires. Speaks more to an agenda than a statistical threat.

It was the same with cobalt. Oh...the horrors of cobalt mining! EVs are the worst! Yeah...but the same folks complaining don't say a peep about the phone in their pocket, the laptop on the desk, the cordless tools in their garage, or...the cobalt required to refine gasoline. Cobalt became a convenient attack vector to EVs. That says more about the agenda of the attacker than any concern about cobalt.

Battery fires are the current attack vector. What will be next? As long as the agenda is to stymie EV adoption, there will always be another attack vector.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,297
25,438
Wales, United Kingdom
Perhaps, but in reality we only hear or see what we believe as being true or not. It is a smoke and mirrors show; we are the spectators. Regardless of which human-made item is, a vehicle, house, and so on, it affects all life and the environment. Who is to say that one is better or worse than the rest? Fuels of numerous kinds and electricity are used for the gathering the materials, the construction, and the delivering of all products (even our homes and belongings inside). All we can do is to improve what we make; make them safer and more efficient. At the present time there aren't any ethical means to reduce the human populations around the wold. The more of us, the more things, and foods we need and want :)

The reality is my Audi A4 burns fuel and exhaust gases come out of the back, it’s visible and you can smell it. My wife’s Q4 doesn’t exhaust any fumes, therefore is not contributing to pollution, especially in built up areas on her commute. A few hundred like my car on the road is more of an environmental risk than a few hundred EV’s producing no pollution on their commute. You mentioned the environment and you don’t need an article or a report to point out the obvious.
 

JT2002TJ

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2013
2,057
1,386
It's the E-bikes getting all the publicity here from catching on fire while charging, probably cheap bikes/batteries.
My son lives in Copenhagen and just sent me a photo of a apartment block near him on fire from a e-bike.

This is true that there are a TON more issues with these e-bikes. It's because they do not have the battery thermal management systems that modern EVs have. I trust having an EV in my garage charging on a Level 2 charger daily but wouldn't really trust having an e-bike inside. A lot of work went into the design of EV battery maintenance, it doesn't seem the same was or could economically be done with e-bikes (they don't really have the space for coolant lines, radiators and cooling fans).

Can't tell me anyone that's been around awhile really likes driving a silent car lol

I am in my late 40's, and by definition a car guy. I LOVE the quietness of an EV. So much so that I got rid of our 3 ICE vehicles to get 2 EVs. I still have my ICE motorcycle, but unfortunately with a young kid and 2 recent car accidents I have put riding on the back burner. I think I've been around awhile.
 
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