To date, some doubts remain in the automotive sector regarding the feasibility of a battery-powered electric car. The vast majority of Chinese, Korean, American, European and Japanese groups are directing the bulk of their investments towards this technologyWhich according to most estimates will come into effect in the next few years.
In spite of everything, some brands continue to work on alternatives such as fuel cellAlthough in most cases they are clear that this will be a minority solution: BMW, General Motors and Honda are currently only considering production of hydrogen cars on a small scale, Hyundai has slowed its development, and Mercedes-Benz has Left them straight.
However, there’s still one manufacturer that staunchly defends FCEV passenger cars: Toyota. The Japanese company, which recently created a division of battery-powered electric cars to recover lost ground against leaders such as BYD or Tesla, continues to view hydrogen as one of the key pillars of its future,
According to matt harrisonPresident and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, this technology will play a key role in differentiating Toyota from its rivals. “We have a hydrogen division and assembly facilities, and as demand increases, prices will go down; We see many opportunities there. That’s why I see this technology as a major pillar of our future, just as hybrids are now.”
Toyota defends its multi-technology strategy
Toyota is not only betting on the use of hydrogen in fuel cells, but is also investigating its use in internal combustion engines. which is already testing in some Japanese competitions,
“We are trying to use hydrogen in motorsport and I doubt there is a real chance that it will be adopted. [en las carreras]Although There are still some doubts about its feasibility, the size of the tanks, the weight and the problems of reloading, But progress has been solid and we need to keep working at it.”
We cannot fail to point out that, if using hydrogen in a fuel cell is already more expensive and less efficient than direct electrification using batteries, then burning it in a heat engine means higher energy Cost. To this we must also add the problem of the space occupied by the high pressure tanks. with everything, Toyota seems firm in its bets. Will it work for you? only time will tell,
Fuente | autocar
