A tour around any international motor show might give the impression that the automotive industry is in a muddle about how to tackle the challenge of maintaining personal mobility while meeting its obligations to the environment. Hybrids, range-extenders, battery-electric cars, hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels and further efficiencies in the drivetrains of internal combustion engines…you’ll find them all.
Far from being evidence of a confused industry, however, this is an indication that nothing is being ruled out in the quest to keep the world mobile while meeting ever-stricter emissions targets.
There is no question that electrification will play an increasing role – small battery-electric cars for short-range urban use (though they will have to become less expensive to make a big impact), and hybrids and range-extenders for larger vehicles over longer distances. And then there’s the hydrogen fuel-cell, the propulsion system that promises zero-emissions electric driving without the range restrictions and recharging requirements of a battery-electric car.
Late last year, seven major manufacturers signed a deal to begin producing fuel-cell cars by the middle of this decade, perhaps at the rate of 10,000 a year.
Until a few years ago, the fuel cell seemed to be one of those ideas that only looked good on paper. The problems of developing the technology were being overcome, but fuel-cell cars would be prohibitively expensive, and so would the infrastructure to support them. Fuel-cell vehicles might be able to function free of the frequent recharges demanded by battery-electric cars, but they need hydrogen to create their own electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen in their key component, the fuel stack. And they need it every 350 miles (560km) or so, just like an internal combustion-engined car needs gasoline or diesel.
But late last year, seven major manufacturers signed a deal to begin producing fuel-cell cars by the middle of this decade, perhaps at the rate of 10,000 a year. Those seven include four of the largest manufacturers in the world – Toyota, General Motors, Ford and Hyundai–Kia – as well as the oldest, Daimler. Volume leads to economies of scale and lower costs, as well as the encouragement to establish a refuelling infrastructure.
Some countries are already starting to prepare. In Korea today there are enough operational refuelling sites to allow a fuel-cell car to be driven anywhere in the country and be within range of hydrogen. AutomotiveWorld.com proved it by driving one of Kia’s research vehicles on a 500-mile (800km) trip from one end of Korea to the other.
In Korea today there are enough operational refuelling sites to allow a fuel-cell car to be driven anywhere in the country and be within range of hydrogen.
Fuel-cell cars are as brisk, smooth and silent as any other form of electric propulsion, and they don’t suffer the down-time of vehicles that need their batteries recharged every 100 miles or so. They are a more intelligent solution than hybrids, which will always be reliant on fossil fuels for the vast majority of their mileage. A small fuel cell could even replace the internal combustion engine in range-extender cars. Fuel-cell technology is almost fully reliable and showroom-ready.
If politicians are serious about wanting to reduce the CO2 from road transport, they could do a lot worse than encourage the take-up of fuel-cell vehicles. Following Korea’s example and investing in a strategic network of hydrogen stations would be a good start.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Automotive World Ltd.
Roger Stansfield is a freelance automotive industry journalist based in London. He covers all aspects of the automotive industry, with a particular focus on future technology.
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