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VW Successfully Tests Its First Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Car

fuelcellworks.com -- Volkswagen has announced the first long-range test drive of its innovative HY.POWER fuel-cell car. On the same mountainous journey, Volkswagen also successfully tested a high-tech Jetta Turbo Direct Injection diesel using a super-clean synthetic diesel called SunFuel®. SunFuel is a non-traditional low-sulfur fuel that can be made from renewable sources such as plants, waste products and other raw materials.

Both cars were tested in the depths of winter and driven over the demanding 6,578-foot high Simplon Pass that connects Switzerland and Italy. Together with the Paul Scherrer Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, Volkswagen developed a low-cost hydrogen fuel cell with extra high performance “supercaps,” or ultra capacitors, that can store a fuel-cell engine’s electrical energy for use du


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Submitted Aug 24, 2010 By: teafortwo
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REPLIES (newest first)
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Ray_10589
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Aug 27, 2010 10:04:04 AM

Glad to hear it!! Where are the US firms?
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traindude
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Aug 26, 2010 7:43:54 PM

glad to see someone's working on it...and winning
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honda0105
Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 6:29:54 AM

H2 isn't quite new, but it's news in fuel cells. Let's hope it "flies" well ...
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honda0105
Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 6:20:49 AM

TBone: prices will eventually come down.
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honda0105
Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 6:19:42 AM

djgunrunner: good question.
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djgunrunner
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:36:10 AM

Once again foreign auto companies are surpassing those in America. What will it take for our government and industry to get past mind sets of corn made Ethanol, you know the stuff that is a wannabe to gas or any real fuel and takes food to make. I realize that the Germans are using a home made fuel made from waste products. I also realize that they are working with Hydrogen in a pretty heavy way. American industry fails in two out of two. So whats new? Our country will not even make or put Natural gas in cars at the factories and Natural Gas is a lot more logical than a battery powered car because we know the technology has been proven to work and is being used right now.
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LoneGuy
Champion Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:32:27 AM

Hurray for the creative minds. They did this in spite of government I bet.
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PetroScopper
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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:27:11 AM

I think this could be something that becomes popular in the future. The prices will decrease over time...
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Bus561
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:17:55 AM

Still too rich for my blood. Prices need to come down more.
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TBONE3
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:17:02 AM

Leave it to VW to do something like this. Hope the final sales price doesn't bar the lower income people from being able to buy them.
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tedjm1
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:14:57 AM

Sounds like they are going the right way for the consumer.
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LocalSpyGuy
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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:14:54 AM

Will it be practical and affordable?
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jadeusa
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:14:16 AM

Progress being made slowly. Keep moving forward.
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JoseM
All-Star Author San Bernardino

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:13:48 AM

Nice!
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NotmeuQc
Champion Author Montreal

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:12:44 AM

A good step in the right direction, but why are they only releasing the results made last winter, now
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JohnofGB
Champion Author Flint

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:08:38 AM

There any hydrogen fuel-cell filling stations?????
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PaylessKY
Champion Author Kentucky

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:08:18 AM

This will be very nice when they bring it to market.
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rxman1
Champion Author Toledo

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:06:42 AM

Not when, How much?
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Blue_Cruzer
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:05:44 AM

Sounds too good to believe.
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CobraLeader
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Aug 25, 2010 12:04:42 AM



... When will this vehicle be available? ...
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carlsonguitars
Champion Author Portland

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:47:40 PM

I would LOVE to own a hydrogen fuel cell car, it makes much more sense - it's like an electric car WITH a range!!!!
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Ray_10589
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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:40:35 PM

Hope it works!!
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RENEGADEGAS
Champion Author Missouri

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:39:01 PM

Yeah whatever. More green crap.
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panama303
All-Star Author Denver

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:33:58 PM

BULL BULL BULL!!!
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Chris46
Champion Author Dayton

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:31:49 PM

Don't believe all the hype. Seeing is believing. Since VW couln't make the pollution demands and sent the bug to Mexico, VW hasn't did diddly in the USA.
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POLELANE
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:24:53 PM

I agree; why weren't the test results released in the depths of winter instead of Indian summer?
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NHLiveFree
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:21:50 PM


If these tests were done in the "depths of winter" going through a mountain pass in the Alps, why VW's long delay in announcing them.

Good luck on any product from VW. The VW reliability record is abysmal! The could never spend the time and money to ever improve the Vanagon or the New Bug. The Jetta, Routan, etc. have some of the poorest reliability ratings in the long history of Consumer Reports.

Plan on lots of extra dough for repairs and maintenance on these VW suckers.
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waynemustang
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:18:48 PM

Test, test, test. Where's the car? It will be decades before production. Probably never.
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Rajah
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:12:50 PM

I've had several VWs years ago starting with Beetles. They're a good company with innovative ideas.
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TIGERPAW46
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:11:50 PM

The accomplishments in the full article sound impressive. Although the new less expensive membrane and the ultra capacitors may lessen cost and improve difficult passing, they don't say how much less. I would still like more info on safety, reliability, total cost, MPG or distance before refuel, Expense of fuel, maintenance cost, life expectancy & eventually resale value.
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altima2008
Champion Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:11:28 PM

Sounds like a small step in the right direction!
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JettaKnight
Champion Author Toronto

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:08:46 PM

JimL1
Phoenix
"We may have the necessary infrastructure long after I have died of old age. Give us plugable hybrids that can plug into any standard household outlet at a price that is affordable, that can be done now while I am still alive."

There already are small generation units that take the natural gas coming into your home, extract the hydrogen for use in fuel cell vehicles and burn the rest to provide electricity for the entire home.
Are you dead yet?
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Lukus
Champion Author Halifax

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:05:42 PM

With Solar power then it could be a great car.
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dabuzman
Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:02:13 PM

Great job. So what is wrong with hydrogen used with gas engine that we us today? Can just about double the mileage but they could make a small kit to install very cheap on ever car.
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defcon7
Champion Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 11:01:45 PM

It can't hurt?
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abcdMA
Champion Author Worcester

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:57:18 PM

VW will be the company that pulls it off
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bbreff
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:51:10 PM



One small step.

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TFowler513
Champion Author Memphis

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:49:35 PM

A move in the right direction.
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sammynorge
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:48:55 PM

At least someone on this planet is doing something to get us out from under filthy oil's thumb!
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ILANGE9
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:47:51 PM

Good luck to them. Hopefully something from research can come to market before I die.
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Zeke33
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:45:40 PM

At least one maufacturer is looking at hydrogen fuel cells.
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ThatHunt
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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:38:58 PM

German design. always ahead of the rest
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us4usa
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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:32:59 PM

OPEC your time is near
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judgemobile
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:30:48 PM

since we are a PRICE website, how much per gallon does the new SYNTHETIC diesel fuel cost ???
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oldiesman
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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:23:31 PM

Sounds good.
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bad_sailor
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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:20:34 PM

That's nice.
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OGW
Champion Author London

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:19:38 PM

I have never owned a "Hitlermobile" and never will no matter how they power it!
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amearly
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:17:45 PM

This is a good start so once they get the bugs out hopefully they can mass produce thes so they are affordable to the average person.
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hank1326
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:02:17 PM

This is great news.
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schatzila
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2010 10:01:55 PM

Glad to hear another automaker entering this area.
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