The climate emergency has been established as one of the greatest concerns of society, aware of its impact and of the urgency to find solutions. The transport sector has been the most affected by European regulations and many manufacturers come to 2020 with a changed foot. Others, on the other hand, have been able to read the challenges of the future in their present, offering sustainable alternatives ahead of their time. Toyota was a pioneer in the democratization of hybrid propulsion , a decision that gives it the leadership in reducing polluting emissions today. However, the challenge is only growing and the electrification of the automobile fleet seems the only solution. Far from being satisfied with following the rules of the game, the Japanese firm is committed to the fuel cell as a zero-emission propulsion model. A technology that takes advantage of hydrogen as an energy source to create the current that powers vehicles like the Toyota Mirai.
This molecule arises from sources, both renewable and non-renewable, that already exist on our planet. After a chemical or biochemical process, such as the electrolysis of water, it is stored in tanks in a gaseous or liquid state. This modularity allows its transport by different routes , either by gas pipelines or maritime routes, up to the so-called hydrogenerators. These service stations and the refueling process of a fuel cell vehicle are almost identical to that of a conventional model , but the results could not be more disparate.
This technology is not a thing of the future, it is viable and it is now. The alternatives to traditional fuels are several, all of them with some disadvantages and an ecological cycle with blind spots. Infrastructures are the great stumbling block in our country , a challenge that Toyota intends to solve in the coming months. More than enough time to unveil an endless source of energy: hydrogen. A ‘natural fuel ‘ that does not emit greenhouse gases, toxic particles for humans and with a high coefficient of energy efficiency. Find out where this molecule comes from and how it can be extracted from well-known precursors such as natural gas.
