Yes, many people really are that naïve about hydrogen. My university works closely with General Motors, and every time there's an event a GM fuel cell car shows up. People go nuts over the things, and the GM people are right there with their whole spiel.

Yes, I think we've all seen articles where a dignitary drives the Honda FCX concept car, or other fuel cell vehicle up to a lone hydrogen pump, promised as the 'first of many'.

Meanwhile, a thousand engineers pray that it doesn't pick that moment succumb to metal fatigue and explode.

Not to mention Arnold's hydrogen Hummer...

As the article mentions, the government has given billions of dollars for hydrogen car research in just the last few years. So yes, some people are that naive about hydrogen.