Fuel cell bikes: how fast is fast enough?

[duncan_bayne]

BusinessWeek has a brief article about a hydrogen fuel cell powered bike (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011432.htm?campaign_ic=bier_innvg). It looks nice too, in a Buck-Rodgers-Moped kinda way:

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/11/1117_env/image/opener.jpg

The problem is the thing is slow. As in really, achingly slow: "It can go from a standing start to 30 mph in 7.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 50 mph."

This got me to wondering how fast such a bike would have to go in order for me to switch from petrol. Or, put another way: how expensive would petrol have to become before I had no option but to switch to something so much slower?

[McJim]

bioethanol....slightly tweaked internal combustion engines powered by 151proof rum...hydrogen fuel cells are too expensive and too difficult to refuel quickly.

[xwhatsit]

Well that's better than many scooters, innit?

Put it in a scooter frame and it'd be alright for zipping around the inner city.

[Ixion]

bioethanol....slightly tweaked internal combustion engines powered by 151proof rum...hydrogen fuel cells are too expensive and too difficult to refuel quickly.


151 proof rum? Who cares how slow the bike is, just gimme the fuel tank.