re: #616 cliffster

That’s true, and interesting, because the only by-product of hydrogen cars is water vapor. Let’s fill up the highways with them!

Right now, the source for hydrogen is natural gas. I haven’t seen complete system studies, but I’d guess that is less efficient than using the gas directly, since it takes energy to extract the hydrogen, and the energy that could be obtained from burning the carbon is not used.

The National Academy of Engineering found, in 2003 I believe, the only economical way of making hydrogen from water is to use nuclear power.