Are Hydrogen Fuels the Best for MGP: Miles Per Gallon

Hydrogen fuels are an alternative energy source that is only available in limited quantities in New York and California. There are only a few FCV, or fuel cell vehicles, out on the market that use hydrogen. The two that come to mind are the Chevy Equinox FCV and the new 2010 Honda Clarity FCV. These cars run on hydrogen and get great miles per gallon ratings. For hydrogen energy fuel cell vehicles, it is not called miles per gallon, but now miles per kilogram. The good news is that roughly, a kilogram of hydrogen equals the amount of one gallon of gasoline, which makes for an easy comparison. The Chevy Equinox can get 48 miles per kilogram on the highway, and 43 miles per kilogram in the city. Combined, it can get 45 miles per kilogram. The Equinox is a large SUV, so these numbers are pretty much unheard of in the SUV class. The Clarity is a small sedan, so not surprisingly, it can go much farther. The Clarity can get 60 miles per kilogram on the highway and in the city. So when you compare them just by per gallon/kilogram basis, these cars are on top. However, the big problem with hydrogen is that it does not hold a lot of energy. This translates into not a lot of "range" that your car can go on a full tank of hydrogen. The Equinox can only go 190 miles, while the Clarity can go 240 miles. Their gasoline counterparts can usually go farther, although less efficiently.