Fuel Cell Risk Taker | Green Energy News

November 9, 2003 – Vol.8 No.33

FUEL CELL RISK TAKER.

Even though the fuel cell vehicles from Honda, Toyota and DaimlerChrysler are available for lease, ordinary consumers cannot get one. The cars that are available are being placed with organizations with certain qualifications like access to a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The available cars are really in development programs still under the control of the manufacturer.

Even if ordinary consumers were able to purchase or lease the fuel cell cars the companies may not want the risks involved in handing the vehicles over to unqualified individuals. Problems with the cars would lead to bad publicity, and a bad image for the manufacturer and the technology.

Smaller fuel cell vehicle developers, such as Anuvu, seem more willing to take on risk. Anuvu is now offering converted-to-fuel-cell Nissan Frontier pick-up trucks for $99,995, only $85,000 or so more than a stock gas version.

The company puts the vehicle into its line-up of Clean Urban Vehicles (CUV) (tm) and limits its range to 60 miles of highway driving, or 250 miles in the city, by limiting the amount of hydrogen stored on board. The company also says that it will build longer range vehicles for a higher price tag.

The converted Nissan is a hybrid configuration and although it seems under energized with only two 6-kilowatt fuel cells, it also has battery pack for performance of 0-60 in ten seconds and top speed of 75 miles per hour according to Anuvu.

Anuvu is also selling a fuel cell hybrid delivery van for $149,995 Visit Anuvu at http://www.anuvu.com/