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March 31, 2005
California Buying Fleet of Hydrogen-Equipped Priuses
Quantum Technologies, the same company that built the Army's Aggressor, has a contract from a California agency to convert 30 Toyota Priuses to hydrogen fuel.
Using a system known as H2ICE, Quantum will swap out the gasoline fuel lines and install hydrogen fuel cells to make the Toyota Prius an even more environmentally friendly vehicle.
The $2.3 million contract results in a cost of $76,667 per converted Prius, which includes the purchase price of the base car. Quantum can convert individual cars for about $50,000 each, according to spokesman Robert Wise.
The California South Coast Air Quality Management District, which ordered the vehicles, is simultaneously working to install hydrogen fueling stations in the six cities where the vehicles will be sited.
Now why would a state agency would take 30 perfectly good gas-electric hybrids off the roads? Besides the too-easy swipe at California, the answer lies in availability. While several automakers have hydrogen vehicles in working prototype stages, they're not that easy to come by.
And while I can't get a real dollar amount out of anyone, they are whoppingly expensive. The H2ICE conversion creates the opportunity to get real hydrogen-powered cars on the road now.
Posted by Frank at March 31, 2005 4:20 PM | Filed under Alternative Fuels
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