Hydrogen cars, which work from the generation of electricity through a fuel cell , are increasingly close to becoming a real alternative to diesel or gasoline vehicles, as are hybrids and electric vehicles. In fact, the Hyundai Nexo, which has become the first hydrogen car to be registered in our country, has already demonstrated the necessary technical maturity, as well as enough practical feasibility, to give the go-ahead to this very sustainable solution. And is that this type of car does not emit CO2 into the atmosphere, but water is its only emission, so it is not a danger for air pollution.
Colorless and odorless hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in the universe . And, although it is practically non-existent in its molecular form, the truth is that as a compound there is it in practically incalculable quantities. Among its compounds, the most frequent is water (H2O), thanks to which these vehicles work, which have hydrogen tanks that mix said fas with oxygen to generate propulsion. The resulting process of mixing oxygen and hydrogen occurs in the fuel cell and generates electrical energy, as well as water. While the resulting electricity is stored in the batteries to feed the engine, the remaining water – in the form of steam – is expelled.
The first, but not the last
As we have already mentioned, the Hyundai Nexo , an SUV with a futuristic appearance, incredible autonomy and the latest driving assistance assistants, is the first fuel cell car to be sold in Spain. It is capable of generating 163 hp of power and going from 0 to 100 km / h in 9.7 seconds. However, in addition to the South Korean firm, there are others that are also betting on hydrogen. One of them is Toyota, which has been working on this type of mechanics since 2002, until the Mirai, a saloon with a range of 500 km. Honda, meanwhile, became the first brand to introduce a hydrogen model to the market, with its Clarity Fuel Cell, available in California. The Japanese Mazda also wanted to test with its RX8, which ran on both gasoline and hydrogen, although it did not eventually reach production.
The Germans also bet on hydrogen
As we can see, it is the Asian manufacturers that are the most advanced in this regard . However, some German brands are also expected to start moving in this direction in the near future. In fact, Audi has recently announced that it will present its first hydrogen car next year, in 2020. BMW, for its part, will start selling a hydrogen model based on the 5 Series in a few years, specifically in 2025.
Let us remember that the future Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition has as its main objective to have a mobile fleet composed only of electric cars with a hydrogen engine by 2050 (date on which the European Union plans to achieve an emission-free economy) as long as they work with 100% clean technology.
