CO2 is a greenhouse gas, meaning it traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere the same way greenhouse glass does on a smaller scale. Co2 is a common component of car exhaust emissions.
Most cars, that is. The carbon dioxide is a byproduct of a gasoline combustion engine. Toyota's new hydrogen car will emit only water vapor exhaust. The hydrogen's source takes us down a rabbit hole of different gasses.
One thing you may have noticed from the cow video, is that to get pure hydrogen fuel, Toyota starts with methane gas sourced from cow poop. Then they strip the hydrogen from the methane, and are left with H2 and CO2.
Hold the phone! More carbon dioxide?
Yes, CH4, aka "methane," can be stripped of its 4 hydrogens, but is left in the form of carbon dioxide gas. That is not ideal, but there are two major mitigating factors.
This carbon is a recent part of the carbon cycle-- it came from living organisms (cows & bacteria), and would be released into the atmosphere again soon anyway. Compare this to burning fossil fuels, which releases CO2 that has been sequestered away underground for millions of years.
Methane, CH4, is estimated by scientists to have an impact on climate change 25X worse than CO2. By converting methane gas into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, there is a net gain for the environment.
Even famed scientist Michio Kaku is excited over the hydrogen-powered Mirai.
So, stop by R & H Toyota today, check out our new inventory, and ask us about our green vehicles.
