“Volkswagen” does not believe this and makes it clear

Unlike some manufacturers such as Toyota and Hyundai, Volkswagen has no interest in hydrogen for passenger cars. On the other hand, the German brand does not completely close the door on this engine, but only for very specific uses.

Thermal cars have had no wind in their sails in recent years, and it’s not going to get any better. In addition to the ever-tightening transport restrictions, especially ZFEs, the sale of internal combustion vehicles will be outright banned throughout the European Union from 2035. Manufacturers will therefore have no choice but to adapt and find alternatives.

Volkswagen doesn’t want that

While some have decided to go completely electric, like Volvo, Alpine or even Peugeot, others are more measured. Especially Porsche and Lamborghini, who are betting on the development of synthetic fuel, who think they are cleaner, but in reality, we think they will not always be. Others prefer to turn to hydrogen.

This is especially true of Toyota with the Mirai, which was launched in 2015 and updated with the second generation in 2020. But we also think about Hyundai, which has been selling Nexo since 2018. Shown at CES in Las Vegas that year, it replaced the ix35 Fuel Cell. For now, these are the only two production models currently in circulation equipped with this engine.

Combining advantages thanks to electricity and thermal charging in less than three minutes, hydrogen has many advantages over paper. But not for everyone. Because if there’s one brand that’s hard to believe, it’s definitely Volkswagen. Asked by the Spanish version of the site Autobild, Thomas Schäfer (CEO of the Volkswagen brand, not the group) expressed disbelief in this alternative. This is because the brand filed a patent for a car using this technology at the beginning of last year.

And he didn’t overdo it, he just explained “hydrogen is not for us“. However, he elaborated that this alternative “it’s pure physics and it’s expensive. This is not particularly competitive for passenger carstanks are located in the passenger compartmentSuffice it to say, we shouldn’t be seeing a hydrogen car in the Volkswagen lineup anytime soon.

Except in some cases

However, the leader does not completely close the door to this motorization: nevertheless, he confirms it could take its place in utility vehicles. Currently, the company prefers to focus on electrics, while offering a well-engineered range with its ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID. Buzz and recently made the ID.7 official during CES in Las Vegas.

Thus, Volkswagen thinks the opposite of many other manufacturers, such as BMW or Alpine, who really believe in the future of hydrogen. The propeller firm announced the production of a small series of the iX5 SUV with a fuel cell in September last year. The Dieppe firm lifted the lid on the Alpenglow concept at the Paris Motor Show in October.

We’re also thinking about Hopium with Machina, as well as the NamX HUV at the Paris show. However, if this motorization has many advantages on paper, it would not actually be as virtuous for the planet as we think. In any case, this was revealed by an American study published last August hydrogen leaks can be particularly damaging to the environment.

Furthermore, this type of engine will have a very low efficiency, only 10-30% versus 60-80% for an electric vehicle. Not to mention the challenges of creating a network of charging stations, while France is already struggling to meet its goal of electric charging stations.

Do you use Google News (French news)? You can watch your favorite media. Watch it Frandroid (and Numerama) on Google News.