New study finds hydrogen could power 400 million cars by 2050

The penetration of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) has been limited to date due to high costs and lack of fuelling infrastructure. However, a new study suggests that hydrogen could be used to power between ten and 15 million passenger vehicles by 2030 before dramatically rising to 400 million by 2050. Encouraging others The study was published by the Hydrogen Council – a coalition set up in 2017 that aims to promote the role of hydrogen technologies as part of a global energy transition. It currently has 28 members, including Audi, BMW, Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. The management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company also helped to compile the report. Numerous other industries could also take advantage of hydrogen as a source of energy. The study implies that the fuel could account for almost one-fifth of total energy consumed by 2050, which would reduce CO2 emissions by around six gigatons. “The world in the 21st century must transition to widespread low carbon energy use,” explained Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of Toyota and co-chair of the Hydrogen Council. “Hydrogen is an indispensable resource to achieve this transition because it can be used to store and transport wind, solar and other renewable electricity to power transportation and many other things. The Hydrogen Council has identified seven roles for hydrogen, which is why we are encouraging governments and investors to give it a prominent role in their energy plans. The sooner we get the hydrogen economy going, the better, and we are all committed to making this a reality.” The seven roles for hydrogen are as follows: enabling large-scale renewable energy integration and power generation, distributing energy across sectors and regions, acting as a buffer to increase energy system resilience, decarbonising transportation, decarbonising industrial energy use, helping to decarbonise building heat and power, and providing clean feedstock for industry. OEM movements The fourth role of hydrogen, decarbonising transportation, is one in which Toyota hopes to take the lead. In July 2017, the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) launched a research programme focusing on innovations in the generation and storage of hydrogen for use in transportation. Lasting five years, the aim is to yield practical results by 2030. In the hope of supporting sales of its Mirai FCEV, the OEM has also been working with Honda and Shell Oil Company to expand the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in the US. The companies recently announced that seven new stations would be built across Northern California, with US$100m worth of funding coming from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Although it was the first to bring an FCEV to market, Honda has recently been pushing forward with its efforts in the electric vehicle (EV) segment. It launched its ‘Electric Vision’ strategy at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, which includes the aim to ensure two-thirds of its cars sold across Europe by 2025 use electrified powertrains. Shortly after, the OEM unveiled its Urban EV and Sports EV concepts, and speculations were made that the OEM may be taking a backseat in the FCEV segment. But Thomas Brachmann, Chief Project Engineer, Honda Research and Development and leader of Honda’s Clarity Fuel Cell programme in Europe, has other ideas. “We will integrate all the options we have, from conventional hybrids to FCEVs, in our strategy,” he told Greenstreetsoftware.info. “It’s clear to us that the value of hydrogen is indispensible, not just in transport but also in other sectors too like power generation.” Daimler is another champion of FCEV technology. Unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell joins the B-Class F-Cell in its portfolio. It has a range of around 440km (273 miles), and according to Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management Member at Daimler and responsible for Group Research at Mercedes-Benz Cars, represents an “integral part" of the company's electric initiative. "The high range thanks to the combination of the fuel cell and battery, short charging times and the everyday suitability of an SUV will make it the ideal companion,” he added. Like Honda and Toyota, Daimler has also been helping to develop the fuelling infrastructure. It recently teamed up with Shell and Linde to open the first hydrogen filling station in the German city of Bremen, and has also plans to play a key role in the construction of a further 360 stations across the country by 2023. Moving goods It’s not just passenger cars that could use hydrogen as a fuel. The Hydrogen Council’s study also suggests that approximately 20 million commercial trucks and five million buses could be powered by the fuel in 2050. In October 2017, Toyota unveiled ‘Project Portal’ – a heavy-duty fuel cell prototype truck, which has since started moving goods from the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach to various warehouses nearby as part of a feasibility study. “This zero emissions truck would be useful in any scenario where emissions and air quality are an issue,” Craig Scott, Toyota’s National Manager of Advanced Technology Vehicles, explained to Greenstreetsoftware.info. Daimler has been active in the fuel cell bus segment for several years, with a small fleet of Citaro F-Cell buses currently in operation in Hamburg, Germany. A spokesperson for the company told Greenstreetsoftware.info that it plans to unveil its fourth-generation Citaro F-Cell “shortly after we bring the Citaro E-Cell powertrain concept to production standard and on the roads in 2018.” 2050 is a long way off, and with several trends such as electrification, autonomous driving and car-sharing sweeping across the industry, long-term forecasts are difficult to make. However, by moving forward with FCEV technology in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle space, the automotive industry could lower the cost of the technology and make it more enticing for consumers.

New study finds hydrogen could power 400 million cars by 2050

Michael Nash looks into the results of a new study on hydrogen, which points to considerable growth in its use across several industries including automotive

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