The makers of a hydrogen-powered bicycle intend to give popular electric bikes some competition.
Switzerland's HydroRide has developed a lineup of bikes that can travel more than 37 miles on a fill-up while moving at top speeds of just over 14 miles per hour — all without producing planet-warming, lung-troubling air pollution. Models listed on the company website include a couple of sports bikes and a foldable version.
If a supply of hydrogen is ready, the bike can be refueled in seconds, per a video clip. The company touts this as a big advantage over lengthier charge times for e-bikes, which are exploding in popularity.
The U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy reports that 1.1 million e-bikes were sold nationwide in 2022. That's nearly four times the 2019 total.
The Swiss company's most unique offering might be a hydrogen-producing portable generator. It uses water and sunlight as part of an at-home process that takes about five hours to make 20 grams of fuel. Small bottles are refilled from the generator and placed in a compartment on the bike. The hydrogen then powers a fuel cell, all according to HydroRide.
"And once the fuel cell is depleted, it's just a matter of popping a new bottle in, something that takes less than 10 seconds," RideApart's Enrico Punsalang wrote in a story about the invention.
Hydrogen is being heavily researched around the world. There's a big government-backed project in Texas vetting production and use of the fuel. Hydrogen-fueled planes, trains, boats, and cars are all being developed by companies around the world.
The fuel has some pitfalls, as noted by the Sierra Club. The environmental watchdog only supports hydrogen made with electrolysis using renewable energy. Most commercial U.S. hydrogen is created via a process requiring dirty energy, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Electrolysis units use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. It's a cleaner option if the power comes from renewables, per the administration. For its part, HydroRide encourages the use of solar or "alternative" energy sources to juice HYRYD products.
The company's video shows what appears to be a human-sized generator with a solar panel on top, apparently part of a street-side setup that's in the works, per RideApart.
HydroRide leaders are anticipating great demand for the fuel, as the Hydrogen Council expects $500 billion in global investment by the end of the decade.
E-bike makers will likely have a say, as well. Models are even being developed for kids. And while batteries require invasive mining for the materials needed to create them, they still allow for cleaner rides than gasoline-powered bikes and cars, as noted in a Massachusetts Institute of Technology report.
A crucial third option is using leg power. Riding a pedal bike requires no batteries or fuel. By pedaling to work 10 days a month, you can save cash while improving your health.
But, if you one day find yourself on a HydroRide bike, make sure you have some bottles of fuel handy.
"You'll need to plan your hydrogen production accordingly," Punsalang wrote.
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