why not hydrogen joe?
Hyundai and Toyota both sell Hydrogen Powered Cars in the UK.
Hydrogen offers the range of a Petrol or Diesel car with refuelling at a pump in a few minutes . Toyota have recently recommitted to their focus on Hybrid (Petrol-Electric) and Fuel Cell cars and continue to flout the industry trend (and resist pressure of environmentalists) to promote battery electric cars and plan the end of their Petrol and Diesel Engine models.
For more on Toyota click below:
Other factors
The loss of energy as Hydrogen is made from electricity contributes to its high cost as a low carbon fuel in the UK and Europe today. Most of the Hydrogen available is currently made from Natural gas which is cleaner than Petrol or Diesel but can still be considered a 'fossil fuel'. In the UK five years ago there was a basic network of Hydrogen refuelling points open to the public, Joe knew the one on the M25 at Cobham Services well, however this has now closed as Shell wisely prepares to focus Hydrogen refuelling infrastructure on larger vehicles.
A Hydrogen powered car can travel a long distance on a Kilogram of Hydrogen, but the cost of that fuel at £15-£20 per Kg makes Hydrogen more expensive than Petrol, and harder to find than a public car charger.
Investing now in a Hydrogen Car in the UK would be akin to buying a Betamax Video Player!
If a battery can meet your needs - use one!
Yet hydrogen has an important role in decarbonising transport
Many vehicles require more energy on board than batteries can provide and this is unlikely to change in the short to medium term. We need Hydrogen for these vehicles!
Heavy Goods Vehicles and High Speed Buses will need Hydrogen in the 2030's
Joe will show why and where Hydrogen will contribute in a later page!