Honda has whipped the covers off its next-generation hydrogen gas cell setup on the Brussels Expo as a part of European Hydrogen Week.
Completed in shiny black and silver plastic, the brand new gas cell seems spectacular, however sadly Honda has but to launch any particulars concerning the unit, or quantify how it’s higher than the system used within the quirky Readability Gas Cell.
The Readability Gas Cell, which went out of manufacturing in 2022, had a 103kW electrical motor driving the entrance wheels. With its compressed hydrogen tanks crammed to the brim, it had an estimated driving vary of 580km.
The following-generation gas cell system will see its first automotive software within the upcoming CR-V Gas Cell, which is able to go on sale within the US and Japan in 2024.
If the earlier two generations of Readability Gas Cell are something to go by, gross sales (or leases) will probably be restricted to areas the place there may be some hydrogen refilling infrastructure in place, primarily California.
As a part of Honda’s partnership with Isuzu, it’s engaged on a prototype heavy responsibility business truck powered by the brand new gas cell stack. Will probably be unveiled earlier than the top of the present Japanese monetary yr (March 31, 2024), with a manufacturing model slated to go on sale by 2027.
Honda can also be wanting to make use of its newest gas cell stack for backup energy turbines and for building equipment, corresponding to excavators and wheel loaders.
Solely three main automotive teams are at present investing closely in hydrogen gas cell expertise: Toyota/BMW, GM/Honda, and Hyundai.
In 2021, Honda dedicated to promoting solely electrical and gas cell automobiles by 2040.
Till not too long ago Toyota was essentially the most ebullient concerning the expertise, seeing it as a vital a part of its zero tailpipe emissions technique. That not too long ago modified when Koji Sato took over as CEO, and shifted the main target of its hydrogen gas cell analysis in the direction of business automobiles and away from passenger vehicles, just like the Mirai sedan.
Different commercially accessible hydrogen gas cell vehicles are the BMW iX5 Hydrogen Gas Cell, and Hyundai Nexo.
Hydrogen gas cells mixed hydrogen saved in closely pressurised on-board tanks with atmospheric oxygen to provide electrical energy that’s used to energy an electrical motor that drives the wheels.
As with a conventional petrol-electric hybrid setup, extra vitality manufacturing, in addition to something captured from regenerative braking, is saved in a comparatively small battery pack.
Whereas pure electrical automobiles can take hours to recharge, hydrogen gas cell vehicles have a fast refilling time, which is roughly on par with petrol and diesel automobiles.
Downsides embody an absence of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and huge scale amenities to provide hydrogen in a inexperienced and environment friendly method.