Technology - Reuters


BMW Unveils World's Fastest Hydrogen-Powered Car

Thu Sep 23,11:50 AM ET Add Technology - Reuters to My Yahoo!



PARIS (Reuters) - German luxury carmaker BMW unveiled the world's fastest hydrogen-powered car at the Paris auto show on Wednesday, dubbed the H2R, capable of exceeding 300 kilometers (185 miles) per hour.


News Photo


Related Links
• H2R Announcement (BMW)



"Our drive toward the future is called hydrogen," BMW management board member Burkhard Goeschel said before the tarp slowly slipped off the teardrop-shaped body of the sleek race car.
Goeschel, responsible for technology and development at BMW, said the streamlined rocket car sprints from 0 to 100 kmh in about six seconds and reached a top speed of 302.4 kmh on BMW's test track at Miramas, France.
"It's called the H2R -- 'R' as in record," Goeschel said, visibly proud of the company's breakthrough achievement in the field of zero emissions.
Unlike most hydrogen-powered vehicles, the H2R doesn't operate on a fuel cell but rather uses a modified 6-litre, 12-cylinder combustion engine for its propulsion that essentially emits nothing but steam.
An advantage of the higher combustion pressure of the hydrogen-air mixture is its higher degree of efficiency, BMW added.
The company cautioned, however, that while the cars don't pollute, production of hydrogen as a fuel does entail pollution.
Hydrogen is obtained either from fossil fuels such as natural gas or by applying electrical power to water molecules. Ecologically, the problem of finding a regenerating source of primary energy remains.


While BMW is developing fuel-cell driven cars as well, it says it is concentrating on the combustion engine because the sum total of its features and characteristics offers the largest number of advantages and benefits all in one.
"We had just 10 months to develop the H2R prototype," said project manager Juergen Kuebler in a statement.
Although the outer skin is made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic like a Formula 1 car, Goeschel said he wasn't considering registering it for next year's racing circuit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


This would be cool but would it ease the oil economy and hurt the Middle East or would they charge even more for hydrogen? Only thing released is steam? Would that change the climate temp you think? Probably not but emmisions would be a thing of the past!

"The company cautioned, however, that while the cars don't pollute, production of hydrogen as a fuel does entail pollution."

The real killer app [read engine] would be one that can use a new or existing resource in it near or natural state. Show me a wood burning car that'll do 185 though...

hydrogen cars are not a new idea, the biggest problem is creating hydrogen. Like they said there is no way to create it without creating emissions.

One thing to remember is that Automotive polution counts for like 2% of the total polution created yearly in the US. (don't quote me, that is an educated guess) Industry emissions accounts for a much greater percentage of the arial polutants

we have more gas than hydrogen too..

very cool work imo, there are a number of alternative fuel organizations that are trying to develop the infrastructure needed for alt fuel to work long term, some even just to avoid or lessen the anticipated economic crunch when the inevitable time comes when the petro stores run down/out, hydrogen sport bikes may be needed some day, can't stop ridin when the dino runs out...

methane from me lol

They call him "blue flame billy."

kinda catchy, ahh get it shorts catch on fire?

like anyone could even afford that