Toyota defends hydrogen technology

HAVING invested heavily in hydrogen – a technology derided by Tesla chief Elon Musk as “incredibly dumb” – Toyota Motor Corporation is making a renewed push for fuel-cell cars to fill a role in a future dominated by electric battery vehicles.

Japan’s biggest motor firm believes both technologies – all-electric battery cars like the Tesla Model X on one hand and Toyota’s hydrogen Mirai on the other – will be needed to usurp petrol cars.

“We don’t really see an adversary ‘zero-sum’ relationship between the EV [electric vehicle] and the hydrogen car,” Toyota chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada said ahead of the Tokyo motor show.

“We’re not about to give up on hydrogen electric fuel-cell technology at all.”

Toyota began pitching its fuel-cell car as a mainstream petrol car alternative in 2014 when it launched the Mirai with a price tag of 7.24 million yen – almost R995 000 at the time.

The car has since been launched in the United States and other countries around the world.

But initial excitement has faded as major markets including China and Europe have tilted heavily towards electric vehicles.

Just 4 300 Mirais have been sold, compared to about four million units of the Prius, Toyota’s blockbuster hybrid that ushered in the EV era.

Uchiyamada says Toyota is not anti-EV – despite the major issue of the length of time they take to charge – but also sees some advantages for hydrogen cars, which are propelled by electricity generated by fuel cells. – Reuters