| BMW has recently announced its upcoming | | | | reforming process. The only by-products of fuel cells |
| hydrogen-powered 7 series. According to Andreas | | | | are water and heat when hydrogen is used as fuel." |
| Klugescheid, corporate communication manager of | | | | He also added, "Since the molecular weight and |
| western operations for BMW, the upcoming cars will | | | | density of hydrogen are very small, storing and |
| be having top speed BMW engines of 143 mph and | | | | transporting a significant amount of hydrogen in its |
| runs off a V-12 internal combustion engine with 260 | | | | gaseous form requires very large, high pressure |
| horsepower. The vehicles will also be capable of | | | | containers which may not be feasible in application |
| running on gasoline. | | | | such as in automobiles." |
| Milivoje Kostic, associate professor of mechanical | | | | Kostic further noted, "Hydrogen, as a very reactive |
| engineering said "It could burn with oxygen in an | | | | gas, has a whole host of problems with regard to |
| engine or a burner similar to other hydro-carbon fossil | | | | storage and distribution. That's why the American |
| fuels, but it could be used in a fuel cell to produce | | | | Academy of Arts and Sciences issued a statement |
| electricity without any moving parts, just | | | | that without a major breakthrough there is not a |
| electro-chemical reaction. The BMW hydrogen car can | | | | future for hydrogen economy." |
| burn hydrogen in a combustion engine and could use | | | | Hydrogen is part of water, biomass, natural and |
| regular fuel instead. It does not use fuel cells." | | | | landfill gas. It is obtainable from various sources in |
| Another professor in mechanical engineering by the | | | | nature. Furthermore, hydrogen produces cleaner |
| name Pradip Majumdar added, "It is very clean when | | | | emissions compared to fossil fuels. Nonetheless, it |
| hydrogen is used directly rather than through | | | | also has its set of drawbacks that can delay its |
| conversion from other conventional fuels using a | | | | development. |