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CNN Sunday Morning
Are Americans Ready for Hydrogen-Fueled Electric Cars?
Aired March 09, 2003 - 08:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Sticker shock at the gas pump is refueling a burning question: What can America do to decrease its dependency on oil? Hydrogen-fueled electric cars are one possible answer, but are the cars and Americans ready?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS (voice-over): Skyrocketing gas prices fueling your frustration? If so, hydrogen-powered cars might be just the right medicine to soothe your gas pains and cut the country's thirst for oil. Environmentally friendly and capable of miracle mileage, the Bush administration wants to get behind the wheel of a hydro-car, proposing $1.7 billion for research over the next five years.
But what would it take for Americans to trade in their motor- powered cars?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as those fuel-efficient vehicles are affordable, I would love to see us move more towards that.
COLLINS: This, from David (ph), who drives a Mercedes. Right now, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute, experimental hydrogen- powered cars cost about 10 times as much as cars on the road today. Some day they'll build them on assembly lines and the price will go down. But why would Colleen (ph), the Toyota driver, switch?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Purely just to help the environment.
COLLINS: A good reason. Hydro-cars are powered by an electricity-producing fuel cell. The electricity is generated by combining hydrogen with oxygen. Only water vapors are emitted from their tailpipes, as opposed to carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gases.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What factor would get you to trade in the Honda for one of these hydrogen cars?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probable just the power. I think that when you drive on the highways I'm always somewhat fearful of not having the proper power to get out of the way of something.
COLLINS: Some hydrogen cars, like the Honda SCX, boast 80 horsepower, with accelerations similar to a Honda Civic. The cars are lighter so they don't need as much power.
So when can we get these hydro-powered 99 mile per gallon environmentally friendly space-age chariots? Two to 10 years from now is a good guess. But if a war in Iraq causes gases prices to soar even higher, you might see hydro-cars on the road much sooner.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: We referred to the Rocky Mountain Institute in that piece. I just want to let you know it's a think tank in Colorado that studies environmental issues.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 9, 2003 - 08:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Sticker shock at the gas pump is refueling a burning question: What can America do to decrease its dependency on oil? Hydrogen-fueled electric cars are one possible answer, but are the cars and Americans ready?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS (voice-over): Skyrocketing gas prices fueling your frustration? If so, hydrogen-powered cars might be just the right medicine to soothe your gas pains and cut the country's thirst for oil. Environmentally friendly and capable of miracle mileage, the Bush administration wants to get behind the wheel of a hydro-car, proposing $1.7 billion for research over the next five years.
But what would it take for Americans to trade in their motor- powered cars?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as those fuel-efficient vehicles are affordable, I would love to see us move more towards that.
COLLINS: This, from David (ph), who drives a Mercedes. Right now, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute, experimental hydrogen- powered cars cost about 10 times as much as cars on the road today. Some day they'll build them on assembly lines and the price will go down. But why would Colleen (ph), the Toyota driver, switch?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Purely just to help the environment.
COLLINS: A good reason. Hydro-cars are powered by an electricity-producing fuel cell. The electricity is generated by combining hydrogen with oxygen. Only water vapors are emitted from their tailpipes, as opposed to carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gases.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What factor would get you to trade in the Honda for one of these hydrogen cars?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probable just the power. I think that when you drive on the highways I'm always somewhat fearful of not having the proper power to get out of the way of something.
COLLINS: Some hydrogen cars, like the Honda SCX, boast 80 horsepower, with accelerations similar to a Honda Civic. The cars are lighter so they don't need as much power.
So when can we get these hydro-powered 99 mile per gallon environmentally friendly space-age chariots? Two to 10 years from now is a good guess. But if a war in Iraq causes gases prices to soar even higher, you might see hydro-cars on the road much sooner.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: We referred to the Rocky Mountain Institute in that piece. I just want to let you know it's a think tank in Colorado that studies environmental issues.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
