On October 14, 2009
Batteries vs. Fuel Cells: A Tale of Unequal Federal Funding
There’s a collision coming, and both of the cars involved are running on electric motors. Both electric and fuel-cell cars are set to hit the market, but only the first one is getting any direct federal support. The Department of Energy is investing not only in battery electric cars, but in the plants that make their batteries. And yes, the DOE is also supporting hydrogen cars, but on a more basic research level—and with a fraction of the money. This is a little confusing, because fuel-cell cars are electrics at heart. In fact, they can use the same electric motors and share battery technology, too. But they diverge radically when it comes to cost and infrastructure. As a variety of…
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