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Hydrogen engines may be powering automotive vehicles in the near future. Major car manufacturers have already begun research on hydrogen engines and several manufacturers have already released cars that use hydrogen engines. Hybrid cars that run on both petrol and hydrogen are currently being used by some consumers.

Unfortunately, there are many alternatives in the area of alternative energy engines. Electric cars and water/petrol hybrid modifications are some of the other options. Before you switch to a vehicle that uses a hydrogen engine, it's important to examine the pros and cons of hydrogen engines.

There are many advantages of using a hydrogen engine as opposed to a petrol combustion engine. There are two kinds of hydrogen engines, one that is combustion based and the other relies on electromechanical conversion by using a fuel cell. Combustion engines are currently cheaper compared to electromechanical conversion. Hybrid engines are combustion engines that can either use regular petrol or hydrogen in powering the vehicle.

Hydrogen engines are comparable to regular petrol engines when it comes to power and performance. There are negligible differences when these engines are used in family cars. Several traditionalists have stated that hydrogen engines are not powerful enough to meet the requirements of high performance cars; however this statement has been largely disputed.

Most people who drive cars that use hydrogen engines are unable to notice any notable differences between hydrogen cars and petrol cars. Hydrogen powered cars can be as smooth and powerful as petrol powered cars.

However, there are several drawbacks in using a hydrogen vehicle. Hydrogen is not a staple fuel source, and hydrogen pumps have not been installed in all gas stations. Even though hydrogen is competitively priced, prices have been slow to fall as the hydrogen industry has yet to mature and achieve economies of scale that could greatly lower the price of hydrogen.

Hydrogen fuel cells are also expensive and fragile. Rare metals are used in the construction of hydrogen fuel cells. Scientists are trying to produce hydrogen fuel cells using common metals, but until they do, hydrogen fuel cells will remain costly to produce. Fuel cells can also be fragile and ill-equipped in handling the vibrations and bumps of daily travel. Hydrogen fuel cells also have difficulty operating in cold weather, thus rendering them unreliable in cold weather conditions.

Hydrogen engines have been touted as a long-term solution to the ongoing energy crisis. Hydrogen is a renewable resource and it burns cleanly, making it a financially viable, environmentally-friendly energy resource. Unfortunately, there are also many drawbacks to using a vehicle that runs solely on hydrogen. Before you purchase a hydrogen powered vehicle, it is important to weigh the pros and cons, especially since the technology for hydrogen engines is still in its infancy.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives to hydrogen engines that are equally compelling. Consumers and motorists have developed a high dependency on petrol. If you*re anxious to save the environment and your money, you can consider alternatives, such as electric cars, or water/petrol hybrid home conversion kits.