FUEL CELLS
long understood that because hydrogen is
versatile, available everywhere, totally
renewable, and can be produced and used
without emissions it is an interesting
component for many systems. Until recently
the disregard of air quality, limited response to
climate change and ignorance of the impact of
environmental and energy cost of mineral and
fuel extraction and processing has allowed
traditional approaches to continue. The need
to tackle these issues and understanding that
collaboration on hydrogen projects for heat,
power, transport and industrial feedstock will
bring benefi ts in accelerating this
development,” Hunt believes.
While a majority of auto manufacturers are
keeping their powder dry, Hyundai, like
Toyota, is also committed to the technology. It
has been developing the technology since 1998
and has produced high-profi le hydrogen
vehicles, including the Nexo – launched in
2018, it is the OEM’s fi rst model designed from
the ground up to be a fuel cell electric vehicle
(FCEV) and off ers a range of 666km (414 miles)
with a top-up time of only fi ve minutes.
“Hyundai has been developing hybrid
electric vehicles and electric vehicles that
signifi cantly cut fuel consumption and
emission for the past 20 years. Fuel cell electric
vehicle is our latest achievement,” says Sylvie
Childs, senior product manager for Hyundai
Nexo. “The automobile industry has never been
subjected to such radical changes with
internal combustion engine fi rmly
placed at the heart of all
automobiles released so far.
However, fuel cell
technology has
“The battery and hydrogen
vehicle fraternities are
both better off in a world
where the other one has
success as well”
Hugo Spowers, chief engineer and founder, Riversimple
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potential to replace the internal combustion
engine. Transition to fuel cell powertrain can
bring fundamental change to the automobile
industry in the future,” adds Childs.
The race to the top
Whereas the technological advances
of batteries and fuel cells seems like
a competition to dominate the market and
extinguish the other, this is far from the
reality. The future of vehicle propulsion and
energy storage will not necessarily mean one
dominant system, but maybe several
complementary systems.
“From our perspective, we see battery
electric and fuel cell electric vehicles as
complementary technologies,” says Childs.
KEEP ON TRUCKING
Although excitement around fuel cells may have ebbed in
recent years, American electric vehicle expert, Chelsea
Sexton, has witnessed a particular segment of the industry
organize around new talking points that still frame that
technology as the ultimate zero-emissions solution.
“I have watched most of the energy for FCVs fuel cell
vehicles move from passenger cars towards heavy duty
vehicles and stationary uses. I think that trucks and
buses are likely where they might make most sense
in the near-to-mid-term,” Sexton says.
Conversely, she doesn’t see much promise for
market acceptance of passenger cars anytime
soon: “To that end, I don’t see EVs as the
primary competition for FCVs in the first place.
Decently-electrified PHEVs meet the same
long range, fast fueling pitch of FCVs. So, while
the CARB California Air Resources Board and
a few other government agencies are especially
interested in forcing the last 10% of trips into the ZEV
zero emissions vehicle category, most regular people
would rather buy a few gallons of petrol occasionally than
deal with an expensive, unfamiliar fuel all the time. The more
we try to force ‘pure’ solutions on everyone whether EV or
FCV, the more we push those drivers who aren’t ready back
into petrol cars.”
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