Hydrogen and Foreign Oil

According to Fueleconomy.gov hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCV) " have the potential to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower harmful emissions that cause climate change."

On their site the show a model of a hydrogen car that is made see through in places to give us an in-depth view of what a hydrogen vehicle would look like internally. In the back of the car, near the trunk, is the Hydrogen Storage tank. This device contains the hydrogen at 'extremely high pressure to increase driving range.' One may think that that would be dangerous and cause a Hindenburg reaction, cause puppies and small children to 'weep over your exploded body,' in the words of Charlie sheen. 

But this just isn't true. The combustion of hydrogen is violent, yes, but what you would get is something far different from the burning pit of hell we see in old film from the Hindenburg disaster. There has already been significant discovery about the problems that were a combined effort of the gas and paint and fabrics they used on the blimp (watch Myth Busters).

But the car they are showing also has a supplemental battery,  which is charged kinetically through the car's breaking,  to supply the electric motor with some extra energy. Next is the Fuel Cell Stack, which is located in between the driver's and passenger's seats (where the transmission is often located in regular gas powered cars), this takes the hydrogen gas and adds oxygen to create electricity to run the motor.  

 The engine.. or electric motor, itself is quieter and more efficient than a petrol run combustion engine, according to the site, and it even requires less maintenance. And the out put of such and engine? The harm to our environment? Nada (other than, probably, what is takes to create it), the hydrogen car releases only water as it's byproduct.

sources

fueleconomy.gov