Fuel Cells Down the Road?

This article focuses on the fact that some developers say the best economic case for fuel cell mobility applications, may be found in the warehouse before cars and buses can make their mark. The automobile has become the poster child of the fuel cell revolution, but the exchange at Hanover Fair in Germany underscores the rocky road to commercialization. Until there are service stations where a driver can pull in and buy hydrogen, the personal automobile is irrelevant. Municipal buses avoid that problem. They circulate within driving distance of a central fueling station. It could contain hydrogen as well as any other fuel. Fuel cells pose a more easily solved problem. Although they take up as much space as lead-acid batteries, they weigh much less. The cell packs are so light that a truck can tip over when lifting heavy loads. Developers are still testing technology and economics. This can take place only in the real world, where people make decisions based on returns on their investments. Because forklifts make the best economic case for any fuel cell mobility application, they are likely to provide answers that may lead to the fuel cell cars and buses of the future.