Will we be driving ethanol powered or hydrogen powered automobiles in the future?

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Request for Question Clarification by techtor-ga on 09 Feb 2006 21:37 PST

Ethanol-fuelled cars are available today, though are you asking if
these kinds of cars (or alternative fuel cars) will become more
numerous than gasoline-powered vehicles in the future?

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Clarification of Question by marinibug-ga on 10 Feb 2006 07:54 PST

Since gasoline will run out, we will only have at our disposal
alternative energy vehicles.  Does anyone have any vision as to
whether these will be ethanol powered or hydrogen powered?

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Request for Question Clarification by techtor-ga on 10 Feb 2006 10:02 PST

Hello again Marinibug,
I suppose you wish to know what would probably be the most common fuel
in the future when gasoline is depleted. Studies have been made,
though accessing them is the difficult part to do at this time.
However would you accept as an answer the collecting of various
sources summarizing studies or opinions on what alternative fuel would
be most prevalent in the future?

marinibug-ga
 
   One change we can predict with confidence is separation of functions.

Please bear with me, I will explain.
 
Functions are 

1) To get the energy source (drilling for oil, gas, mining coal ..)
1a) modify it
2) To transport or distribute the energy medium 
    Electric transmission lines, train transporting coal,
     gasoline tank
2a) modify it
3) Storage (battery, fuel ..) 

  Today, the functions are still mostly tied to a medium. Example is oil.
  It is drilled for, it is refined to gasoline (source),
  it is delivered to gas station (distribution) 
  and is fuel pumped to a car (where energy is stored until needed).
  

3) That will change.  To ask how the car will be powered - considering
 that part of transportation which will look like todays car - having
 energy stored in the vehicle - we need to ask - what is the 'best' way
 to store energy. Answer will be (in 20 to 30 years) : a Lithium battery.
 
 Theoretical energy density is about 100 times of we have today.
 Electric motor is quiet, efficient, clean ....

2) distribution: underground superconductive lines, mostly,
                 some of today's electric lines will persist for 100 years
                 most cables (I hope) will go underground.
3)Source
          That is the controversial part.
          
          There are some renewables still untapped, like tides under the
          Golden Gate Bridge,
          Short term nuclear, first fission, then fusion
          Long term SPS - solar power satellites

 
 There will be many other ways, but they will not become main/important ways.
I do not understand where people are getting crazy ideas, like:
 shadycaliber-ga          
 Hydrogen by a long shot would be the most viable alternative.  Imagine
never filling up the gas tank again

... he thinks filling Hydrogen tank would that much more fun?

Or 

 "Roof makers will one day be able to make a solar roof that protects you from 
the elements and at the same time, powers your house," Bush said. "The vision 
is this -- that technology will become so efficient that you'll become a 
little power generator in your home, and if you don't use the energy you 
generate you'll be able to feed it back into the electricity grid." 
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060220/bush_energy.html?.v=2

One problem with ethanol is that some people would mix it with orange
juice and drink it.

I reckon that vegetable oil is a more likely contender when used to
power diesel engines.  I understand that this really works, giving a
power level about 20 percent less than standard diesel fuel.  Research
on the Internet suggests that a number of people already do this in
the UK, and possibly avoid paying any tax since vegetable oil is
classified as a food.

Hydrogen might not be regarded as a fuel, rather is it a means of
transferring power from an electrical source to a vehicle.

I for one see great promise for the use of Hydrogen as an alternative
fuel.  Right now, there are still too many bugs to be worked out
before we can use it, so I think a Hydrogen economy is a bit further
down the line.

In the mean time, while Hydrogen and other alternative fuels develop
further, I think ethanol is a more immediate option.
Brazil is a great example of putting ethanol to work and a great model
for energy self-sufficiency.  Brazil grows vast amounts of sugar cane,
and a major potion of its crop yield is diverted to be converted into
ethanol to fuel their automobiles.  It is really quite remarkable how
well it is working out for them.  Gasoline is still an option for
them, and most of their cars are designed to be run with either a 100%
ethanol, 100% gasoline, or some mixture in between.

Following Brazils lead is certainly an option for the United States,
but change comes slow, especially why it comes to out energy needs. 
We have a massive infrastructure set up to supply us with gasoline and
the United States is not exactly the best suited country to grow vast
amounts of sugar cane.

Another step in between a potential conversion to ethanol might be
electric.  Electric or electric-hybrids are slowing making a gain in
the market, but again, change comes slow.

See these links for further details,
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/afv/ethanol.html
http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/mag/soybean_ethanols_booming_brazil/

The new Chevy Kudzu!

Chlorovoltaic cells.  That's the answer.

http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002210.html

Hydrogen by a long shot would be the most viable alternative.  Imagine
never filling up the gas tank again!  But before that happens I
imagine there will be a mix of many different technologies used all at
the same time.  The government would probably push more toward the
ethanol approach due to the taxes involved in it.  But before the
technology, price rules.  Whichever turns out to be "cheaper" will
rule the way.