Saving At The Gas Pump

Once thought to be the next fuel saving generation of fuel efficient cars, the reality of the complexity of such an endeavor has proved to be overwhelming.

The challenging complexities of implementing both the technical and economical aspects may prove to be too much for the auto industry. Most of the vehicles that are in current production today use a hydrogen fuel cell, a type of rechargeable battery, if you will.

The potential advantage of hydrogen is that it can be produced and consumed continuously, using solar, water, wind and nuclear power for electrolysis. Currently, however, hydrogen vehicles utilizing hydrogen produce more pollution than vehicles consuming gasoline, diesel, or methane in a modern internal combustion engine, and far more than plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.This is because, although hydrogen fuel cells generate no CO2, production of the hydrogen creates additional emissions. While methods of hydrogen production that do not use fossil fuel would be more sustainable, currently such production is not economically feasible, and diversion of renewable energy (which represents only 2% of energy generated) to the production of hydrogen for transportation applications is inadvisable.

Some of the drawbacks to Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars is the high cost of the hydrogen production and the transportation for delivery. The replacement of the existing extensive gasoline fuel station infrastructure would cost a half trillion U.S. dollars in the United States alone. There are also environment consequences from the production of hydrogen from fossil energy resources which include the emission of greenhouse gases.

Most, but not all, of the current vehicles  today are only available in demonstration models and cost a large amount of money to make and run. They are not yet ready for general public use and are unlikely to be as feasible as plug in bio diesel hybrids.

An alternative would be a hydrogen-on-demand system. Installing  the conversion to water equipment to your car can be done for less the $150.  You will also be increasing your gas mileage and saving money, plus the added benefit of reduced pollution and the protecting of the environment.

Average price of self-serve regular close to $4 a gallon!

May 18, 2008: 6:00 PM EDT

(CNN) — The average price of gasoline has jumped another 17 cents a gallon in the past two weeks to a record-breaking $3.79 a gallon for self-serve regular, according to a national survey released Sunday.

This climb in prices makes it a “high possibility” that many cities will see $4 a gallon regular gas soon, said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg.

“We are within 21 cents of $4 a gallon,” said Lundberg. “There seems to be very good chance that we will reach it.”

Four dollars a gallon of regular unleaded happened in two metro areas in the latest survey, according to the biweekly Lundberg Survey.

These areas had the highest average gas prices in the survey. They were Chicago, $4.07 and Long Island, New York, $4.01.

“That is the first time in history we have ever had two metro areas over $4 a gallon,” said Lundberg.

The survey looks at thousands of gas stations across the country. The main reason for the price hike was record highs in crude oil prices, Lundberg said.

Learn how you can save at the pump and help the environment while increasing the MPG.