Hazer recently posted on LinkedIn regarding Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. I’ve included a link to the article as well as a screen shot of the LinkedIn post.
BMW is planning on introducing a Hydrogen fuel cell SUV as soon as 2025 and small-scale production before the end of 2022.
I have made no attempts to conceal the fact that I believe Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFV) are a superior alternative to EVs deriving all their power from batteries. They are a better form of hybrid - cleanly burning a regenerative fuel. They allow vehicle use that is basically identical to the way we have grown used to using our ICE vehicles - range, refuel time, weight of vehicle, and probably the most important aspect from the government’s point of view, and hence a reason I see governments pushing for H2 fuel cell vehicles, is that their will not need to be any shift in the way governments currently get revenue from vehicles.
HFVs still require batteries, just less of them, so all our battery related investments are still in-play, but what fuel cell vehicles do is, they reduce the risk of there being significant shortages of battery materials in the near future and buys the world some time to mine all the battery materials required, to develop better batteries—specifically batteries that are safer and last longer— and to fully devlop adequate recycling techniques so spent batteries don‘t contaminate our planet.
None of us like fuel excise taxes, but if we all stop refuelling our vehicles, the government will just slap us with other, equivalent in value (Ha Ha - as if they’ll be only equivalent), taxes. There is a bit of peace of mind maintaining the status quo because IMHO any introduced tax will just hit us harder. Governments tend to do things that are in their favour.
Here’s a little excerpt from the article:
“
BMW unveiled the fuel cell iX5 Hydrogen concept car at the International Motor Show Germany in September 2021. Small-scale production of the sport utility vehicle will begin before the end of 2022, the company had previously announced.
FCVs can be refueled in three to four minutes -- much faster than a battery electric vehicle. Though BMW has not revealed the iX5's range, the model is equipped with two roughly 6-kilogram tanks to allow for long-distance travel.”
And a great point about that 12kg of Hydrogen is that it will replace the need for several hundred kg of batteries. Probably could reduce the car weight by more than 500kg. Thus further enhancing performance and range.
In my opinion, EVs with Fuel Cells are the future (and currently Hydrogen provides the best contender)— it all depends on producing green Hydrogen cheaply enough and providing sufficient refuelling stations. My previous post in this thread addresses that.