Thread: Hydrogen powered SUV from France

I find it intersting that manufacturers are investing any money in hydrogen. You see, there needs to be an environmentally friendly way of generating hydrogen first .... then the next issue is its not simple to store or transport. If creating, storing and transporting hydrogen is solved.... this is when you create hydrogen vehicles.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I find it intersting that manufacturers are investing any money in hydrogen. You see, there needs to be an environmentally friendly way of generating hydrogen first .... then the next issue is its not simple to store or transport. If creating, storing and transporting hydrogen is solved.... this is when you create hydrogen vehicles.

Yeah, while I agree Hydrogen is a way off from being clean, it is at least possible (not sure if it's likely short term though) so which do you do first - spend big $$$ cleaning hydrogen up or big $$$ creating demand for the product?

I think it's the latter - no one will be willing to clean the industry up if there's no demand for the product. Just the way my brain works - I could be wrong - I get told that all the time anyway...

Thing is, there are already hydrogen powered cars on sale in some markets. Honda ( Clarity ), Hyundai (Nexo ) and the big one, Toyota ( Mirai) aren't going to wasting their time and money on dead ends. There are over 100 hydrogen fuelling stations in California alone. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but they are there, and the number is growing.

The industry may not be clean yet, but it's way cleaner than the EV battery industry. No child slaves required.

This may interest, or not..

Originally Posted by Homestar

Yeah, while I agree Hydrogen is a way off from being clean, it is at least possible (not sure if it's likely short term though) so which do you do first - spend big $$$ cleaning hydrogen up or big $$$ creating demand for the product?

If cars are available, at a reasonable cost, with reasonable depreciation, proper range and ease of fuelling, and a source of clean water from the pipe (😆 I'm half kidding ) then I think demand creates itself. Biggest hurdle, commercially, in my view is that so many manufacturers have committed big to EVs and are currently, apart from Tesla ( yet ) getting their fingers badly burnt. Retooling the lines currently making EVs for hydrogen cars is a massive cost, when most of them are bleeding money.

I am opposed to taxpayer funded subsidies in general, but maybe the shift of them from EV to hydrogen is warranted. Myopic politicians notwithstanding.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I find it intersting that manufacturers are investing any money in hydrogen. You see, there needs to be an environmentally friendly way of generating hydrogen first .... then the next issue is its not simple to store or transport. If creating, storing and transporting hydrogen is solved.... this is when you create hydrogen vehicles.

Using 'green' energy to produce the hydrogen incurs some losses but you end up with a way of fast filling an electric vehicle and loose the need for batteries and all the issues surrounding them. As a bonus you can run IC engines on Hydrogen.
Yes, you need a way of distributing the hydrogen. The capsules in the NamX is one potential solution.

INEOS Hydrogen
Nations agree to ensure clean hydrogen is affordable and available globally by 2030 | Recharge

Refuelling H2 still under development
Just a moment...
State-of-the-art renewable hydrogen refuelling station launched - CSIRO


Colin

Originally Posted by gromit

Yes, you need a way of distributing the hydrogen. The capsules in the NamX is one potential solution.

It seems that Shell have withdrawn from providing for the Californian model of distribution. Doesn't mean, of course, that they aren't working on something else.