'Mercedes-Benz to produce 200 hydrogen-fuel cars'

Mercedes-Benz to produce 200 hydrogen-fuel cars

10/17/09 07:54

If electric hybrid cars are deemed to be the vehicles of the near future, it is without a doubt that hydrogen fuel cars will be the cars of middle-term future. It is deemed to be the most energy-efficient automobile technology around so far, with cars going for a hundred or two hundred miles before requiring a fill-up.

The only problem is that there are still a number of technological obstacles that needs to be overcome. For one, while deemed energy-efficient, hydrogel fuel cells are still largely expensive to produce, not to mention that they are fragile, making them inconvenient for harsh driving conditions.

Aside from this, there will also be a need for a costly infrastructure overhaul if hydrogen fuel cells are produced. For instance, gas stations that provide hydrogen fuel are still hard to come by. Right now, there are still a few hydrogen filling stations in the United States and abroad.

So it was mildly surprising to find out that Mercedes-Benz is already coming up with around 200 hydrogen-fuel cars in a few years, half of which is reported to be going to the United States, particularly in California, where there are already a number of hydrogen filling stations.

The B-class fuel cars, which will just go in small-volume production as of the moment, can go for 250 miles before requiring a gas fill-up. Fill-up then is estimated to last for only three minutes. All of the units will be available for private use, though the terms of the purchase have not been specified yet.

This development, though surprising, is a welcome move that excites the automobile-enthusiasts community. It seems to me that the future is indeed moving away from the dirty fossil-fuel technology that has come to dominate the industry this century. Though we still can't fully move away from it, the developments are good enough for now. Let's see what the others will come up with in the following months.

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