TonyWilliams
Well-known member
RegGuheert said:So the list of fleet targets for FCVs just got shorter by one. The following fleets are also extremely likely to be dominated by BEVs:
- Indoor Forklifts
- Taxicabs
- Delivery Vans
- Short-haul Trucking
Then there are fleet applications which likely will need liquid fuels:
- Commercial Aviation
- Shipping
It seems that more-and-more rail applications will be electrified (I'm guessing this has not happened in the U.S. due to limitations of the electrical grid? If that is the case, this may take time to transform.)
- Rail shipping
So what fleet applications are left for FCVs to compete in?
- Long-haul trucking
Is that it? Any other fleet applications where FCVs might compete long-term?
Another great summary. The hydrogen advocate squeal should be here shortly.
Andy would almost wet himself to tell us that the forklift business was quickly being transformed from EV to H2, because folks couldn't be bothered to plug in the forklift from the previous shift. So, there's that. I'm confident that when batteries are cheap enough, they will just have swappable batteries like a powered hand tool (ok, maybe not like a hand tool, but with simple human strength required).
Then there's the heater issue that Andy always trumpeted. I guess we could have "hybrid" cars, with battery powered everything and a hydrogen hybrid (with electricity) powered heater. Thankfully, H2's lack of energy efficiency compared to batteries work great in the heater role, where they will be "100%" efficient! Little tanks the size of Coleman stove tanks can easily be swapped, while always retaining the full ability to run on electricity alone. Not completely unsafe with the leaking issue (H2 is a colorless, ordorless, highly flammable product), but in small quantities and low pressure, it should be fine. You would only use it when absolute range was an issue in cold weather.
The BYD busses use an alternate fuel heater.
Long haul trucking will be natural gas for a LOOOOooooong time.
Aviation really only has one logical choice, biofuels.
Over the water shipping has a lot of choices, from nuclear to liquid hydrogen.
Rails are definitely electric... heck, they're already electric; we're just removing the diesel generator.