I don't really understand how they work. My understanding is this: The energy created by the fusion of H and O to form water is used to power motors. On howstuffworks.com it says that the electrons passing from the hydrogen do that work. Is that true or is it the energy from the fusion?

After the water is created, what happens to it? Is it flushed out? Stored? Reused? If it is reused, how?

All of this leads to a theory of mine (which is probably wrong because I don't understand the things it concerns). But:

Since fusion of H and O creates three things (water, energy for the fuel cell, and heat) could all three of those things be used? The energy is already in use so let's forget about that. What is left is the water and the heat. In a nuclear power plant, water is heated into steam which is used to turn turbines and power generators. Could this be done on a smaller scale? The heat produced could be used to turn the water into steam which would turn small turbines. This would provide two sources of energy, being more efficient.

I'm sure this is wrong, but if it is, why? If it isn't... the idea is mine, all mine. Back off.

Okay... while looking on howstuffworks.com some more I found:

"The electricity generated from the fuel cells will be used by the car's electric induction motor/transaxle and electric power inverter to produce up to 90 kilowatts of power. The electric power inverter works by converting the raw electrical current generated by the fuel cells into an alternating current that powers the electric motor and turns the wheels of the vehicle."

So now I have a new question: What is an inverter and how does it work? How does it transform the few volts into 90 kilowatts?

How stuff works is a pretty dumb site, it say you can make a land mine by puting vasoline in a frezzer and hitting it with a nail, dont by into that site.
Question 1. The cars are powered by the electrons of hydrogen atoms, they are seperated and run throught the electric motor, Or the hydrongen is simpily "pumped" into the clyider and ignited in place of gasoliene.

Questoin 2. It uses two coils, when the electricity swiches from the lowe energy coil to the higher energy coil it creates higher voltage. Im not sure how to explain it but i tryed.

CTR

Fuel cells relese energy the same way combustion does, by reacting oxygen with hydrocarbons. That is why they can run on natural gas, propane, and gasolene. But the way it is done converts the majority of the energy of that reaction directly into electricty, insted of heat like in a car engine or an open flame.