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European Space Agency Planning to Improve Use of Hydrogen in Cars

Hydrogen has already become one of THE alternative fuels to ween us off oil for good, and yet, while it may be the most abundant element in the universe and much cleaner-burning than anything else we use, it is still difficult to obtain in a clean way (without burning fossil fuels).
Hydrogen Hyundai ix35 1 photo
Photo: Hyundai
Now, the European Space Agency (ESA) wants to make hydrogen-powered cars more feasible and thus has approached MagnaSteyr, in Austria, to adapt and develop technology used in the Ariane rockets, for automotive use, as part of ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme.

One of the issues faced is the fact that you need a lot more hydrogen than gasoline, for instance, to achieve the same level of power, so you need a big tank to hold it in. Another downside is the fact that hydrogen molecules are so minute, that they can escape even the best of seals, so storage is a problem.

This is where MagnaSteyr comes in, as they have developed special fuel lines and double-walled tanks to keep all of the hydrogen in, and not have it spill everywhere, as it is quite flammable - insert Hindenburg disaster reference here. Hopefully, this latest development will bring hydrogen-powered cars closer to reality, as they are currently seen as very expensive and impractical.
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