Aug 9, 2007 7:15 am US/Central
Hydrogen Cars Hitting The Road Soon
200 Nothern Californians To Test Out The New Cars
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Experts say hydrogen cars can reduce greenhouse gases, but currently they get limited mileage and are difficult to refuel. (File)
CBS 5
Hybrids are a popular option when buying a new car but the gasoline/electrics may soon have to make way for a viable hydrogen vehicle.
200 Northern Californians will be human guinea pigs by driving the latest generation of hydrogen powered cars. There are dozens being manufactured by several automakers according to KPIX -TV's Jeffrey Schaub, who drove several of the vehicles in West Sacramento.
The lucky few will decide how the cars perform, whether the drivers like them and even if they are commercially viable.
"Hydrogen cars can reduce greenhouse gases if the hydrogen is produced in the right way. They reduce air pollution because they don't use oil," said Timothy Lipman, UC institute of Transportation Studies.
But how do they drive?
KPIX's Schaub tried one out and found that although not a potential winner of the Indy-500, "you could certainly get around town."
So far, hydrogen cars get limited mileage, are expensive and difficult to re-fuel. There are only a handful of Hydrogen filling stations in California. But more are scheduled to be built.
"The automakers are moving in the direction to make this happen in the short tem, so we makers have talked about leasing autos as early as 2010," said Susan Shaheen Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways in Sacramento.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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