Before hydrogen fueled cars can be introduced into the mainstream markets, several other problems have to be solved. The first issue to be solved is how to store hydrogen. Vehicles typically equipped with gas tanks don’t convert to hydrogen storage. Because hydrogen is a gas and not a liquid, it requires much more storage space. To have enough on hand to travel more than short distances also means that it must be very tightly compressed. Some propose condensing hydrogen to its liquid state, but tanks capable of carrying liquid hydrogen are both expensive and very heavy. Experts do not feel that this is the best answer, however, because making liquid hydrogen is expensive and requires a lot of energy.

An alternative method of storing hydrogen is gaining in popularity. Scientists have found that several types of metals can easily hold great amounts of hydrogen. Metal hydride, as it’s called, is converted to a powder that is easily stored. All it takes to extract the hydrogen from the compound is heat, something easily created by a vehicle.

Continue: The Future of Hydrogen Powered Cars

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