BMW, Honda and Hyundai all still think hydrogen cars are the next big thing – and here’s why
This year’s CES 2024 show in Las Vegas was littered with language learning models, in-car AI assistants, and the ubiquitous giant infotainment displays that seem set to fill the interiors of our future cars.
But now that the dust has settled, it appears that the topic of hydrogen and a renewed focus on fuel cell-powered passenger cars was an important takeaway that was overlooked by the masses.
Hyundai’s central stand at the show focused on hydrogen and the company’s commitment to producing clean energy from waste products such as plastic and biomass, but also reaffirmed its commitment to powering heavy trucks with H2.
Hyundai has the world’s highest market share of hydrogen vehicle sales and made an early bet on the technology when it mass-produced and launched the Nexo in 2018. It also offers the XCIENT Fuel Cell production truck, which can travel 250 miles on a single fill-up.
But at CES, the company announced that its HTWO initiative will focus on the production, storage, transportation and use of hydrogen in many areas across the Hyundai Group, including steel, construction, air mobility, shipping, robotics and, most importantly, the passenger sector. car.
“We see hydrogen as an important player in the heavy goods industry, because the technology matches the requirements of large trucks. The predictable driving patterns also make it easier to create the necessary infrastructure. The lessons learned from this could then potentially inform future passenger vehicles.” Mark Freymueller, Senior Vice President of Global Commercial Vehicle Business at Hyundai Motor Company told me at CES this year.
While Hyundai made it very clear that hydrogen was a focus, Honda – also an early proponent of hydrogen fuel cell technology with its FCX Clarity model – was keen to point out that they too see hydrogen as an important factor in future transportation.
“What I have in mind is that the (battery) EV era comes first, and the next phase is fuel cell cars. The fuel cell era may take some more time,” said Inoue Katsushi, president of Honda Motor Europe . Coach.
Inoue further explained that the relatively low sales volume of Honda’s FCX Clarity could be attributed to poor hydrogen refueling infrastructure, as well as the high price of the model itself. But he also said hydrogen is still a big part of the business plan, as long as the infrastructure is in place.
Like Hyundai, Honda claims it is focusing its hydrogen research efforts on the commercial vehicle and industrial sectors for now.
Hydrogen is back on the agenda
BMW recently announced that its flagship factory in Munich will only produce electric cars from 2027, but that the assembly line will remain flexible and open to other alternative fuels.
“Hydrogen remains an important alternative,” says BMW board member Milan Nedeljković Top gear. “That is why we have a fleet of hydrogen cars that are being tested and we are working intensively on further improving the technology. Alternatives must be considered; that is why we keep our facilities flexible for hydrogen and for other technologies,” he added.
Executives from both Hyundai and Honda touted 2040 as a rough estimate for when we could see mass adoption of hydrogen passenger cars. This is dependent on the refueling infrastructure reaching critical mass, and the price of the technology reaching a more acceptable level for customers.
For this reason, both Honda and Hyundai have confirmed that they are focusing their hydrogen efforts on powering manufacturing processes and replacing diesel as the fuel of choice for heavy goods and commercial vehicles, but it is telling that some of the biggest names in car manufacturing have not done so . this is not excluded for passenger cars.
After all, zero-emissions driving doesn’t have to rely solely on electric battery technology, as hydrogen inherently offers greater all-electric range and faster refueling times, thanks to the ability to physically store fuel in on-board tanks.
Despite the promise of next-generation solid-state battery technology offering impressive energy density, pressure on the electricity grid could struggle to keep up with charging demand and refueling times are unlikely to match those of hydrogen anytime soon.
Hyundai’s Mark Freymueller claims this is one reason why pure battery technology is difficult in the heavy goods industry, as charging the huge batteries required puts too much pressure on local networks.
Once hydrogen technology matures and fueling infrastructure catches up, the alternative fuel could simply be another choice on the table for consumers and a way for automakers to reach their self-imposed local zero-emissions targets.