TED Conversations

Nicola Naydenov

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Why aren't hybrid cars well integrated in our urban environment?

Hello everyone,I am a student and I have worked on a project based on the integration and potential of hydrogen hybrids from which i got the idea to ask all of you. First of all when i started the project I though I had a satisfying level of information about hybrids like probably the majority of people think, but in the process of working I've discovered the data about this type of vehicles was greater than I thought. After some researches I found dozens and dozens of prototypes of hydrogen hybrids alone. When I made a research about the percentage of people who would like to buy a hybrid I found that over 60% of my schoolmates and random people on the street didn't know what a hybrid car really is. So my question is why are these auto mobiles have not overtaken the market yet and why are we not familiar at least with some of them?


Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

  • thumb
    Feb 29 2012: The numbers don't add up. They need to make financial sense.
    Petrol/Electric don't do more mpg despite expensive technology.
    Electric need new batteries too often.
    Hydrogen is expensive to produce & awkward/expensive to transport.
    They all ultimately need conventional fuels to feed them, so there isn't even a respectable environmental payback .
    Great scope for these guys in garden sheds out there to come up with new ideas.

    • thumb
      Feb 29 2012: Actually about the hydrogen(at least i heard so) the cost of a gallon hydrogen is equal to the cost of gallon gasoline or I think hydrogen had a little bit higher price but the gap of prices wasn't so big and if we take in mind that petrol is become more and more expensive, in a few years the prices will be equal or even hydrogen could cost less. Also hydrogen is produced by electrolysis which needs only electrical energy which can be provided by the sun itself or the wind or the waves... it depends on what natural energy resource is surrounding your home. It is true that the mpg of the hybrid cars is low but i don't 100 miles isn't so bad if at least 20% of the fuelling stations offer hydrogen fuel this mpg wouldn't such a worry.

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.