Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

Fuel-cell stackConverts hydrogenfuel into electricityAir systemmanagementBody attachmentsMechanical locks that securethe body to the chassisUniversal docking connectionConnects the chassis with thedrive-by-wire system in the bodyRear crush zoneAbsorbs crash energyDrive-by-wiresystem controlsCabin heating unitSide mounted radiatorsRelease heat generated by the fuel cell,vehicle electronics, and wheel motorsFront crush zoneAbsorbs crash energyHydrogenfuel tanksElectric wheel motorsProvide four-wheel drive;have built-in brakesFigure 18-11 Prototype Hy-Wire car of the future developed by General Motors. It combines a hydrogen fuelcell with drive-by-wire technology. It consists of a skateboard-like chassis and a variety of snap-on bodies. Thecompany claims the car could be on the road within a decade but some analysts believe that it will be2020–2030 before a variety of such cars from various manufacturers will be mass produced. (Basic informationfrom General Motors)fuel cells will finally end the 100-year reign of the internalcombustion engine.”In 2002, General Motors developed a prototype ofthe hydrogen-fuel car of the future (Figure 18-11). ThisHy-Wire (for hydrogen-by-wire) car handles like ahigh-speed sports car, zips along with no engine noise,and emits only wisps of warm water vapor and heat—no smelly exhaust, no smog, no greenhouse gases.The heart of this car is a thin flat aluminum chassisthat looks like a skateboard. It houses a stack of fuelcells, hydrogen fuel tanks, electronic controls, andwheels with built-in electric motors and brakes. Such acar should have a fuel efficiency equivalent of morethan 43 kpl (100 mpg).The car’s fiberglass body plugs into the chassismuch like a laptop computer connects to a dockingstation. The chassis can come in compact, medium,and large sizes for different models.The car would be refueled by a network of hydrogengas stations or perhaps by a fuel-cell system inyour garage or workplace that produces hydrogenfrom natural gas and also provides electricity, heating,and air conditioning for your home or workplace.At first these cars will be expensive, but pricesshould come down from increased mass production.General Motors says that because these hydrogenpoweredfuel-cell vehicles have so few componentsthey will eventually be cheaper (and safer) than vehicleswith internal combustion engines.General Motors hopes to be selling such carswithin a decade. Many analysts believe it will bearound 2020–2030 before a large number of affordablefuel cell cars will be available but this depends on howrapidly new innovations in this emerging technologycan be developed. Stay tuned.How Can We Design Buildings to SaveEnergy? Work with NatureWe can save energy in buildings by getting heatfrom the sun, superinsulating them, and using plantcoveredecoroofs.386 CHAPTER 18 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy