Luca de Meo, a senior European executive at Renault, has publicly supported hydrogen as a crucial part of transitioning to net-zero emissions. Alongside eFuels, hydrogen is seen as an alternative to the currently dominant battery-powered approach.
In an open ‘letter to voters’ de Meo criticised the European Parliament for pushing the auto industry towards exclusive battery power, a sentiment shared by UK politicians. Instead, he suggests a return to the principle of technological and scientific neutrality – setting goals without enforcing a specific technological path.
De Meo’s arguments highlight the lack of governmental support for adopting hydrogen-fuelled mobility, despite some political focus on hydrogen fuel cell power for heavy transport. He urges the European Parliament to adopt “technological neutrality for hydrogen”, incorporating small-scale mobility into supported projects.
In his statements, De Meo noted the suitability of hydrogen for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses covering long distances, stating: “For an equivalent level of performance, the battery required for hydrogen is smaller and therefore lighter.”
To illustrate, he pointed to Renault’s new Master electric vehicle. Achieving a real range of 500 kilometers would require a hybrid battery-hydrogen fuel cell system that weighs significantly less than a conventional battery.
De Meo proposes that Europe should establish its unique mix of transport fuels rather than merely following China’s predominance in electric vehicles. Exploring eFuels is a promising direction, and analysing the entire lifecycle of a vehicle, rather than focusing solely on energy use, would challenge Europe’s engineers to increase competitiveness against China.
In de Meo’s vision, the participation of Europe’s largest 200 cities — by determining traffic management schemes, local taxation, and vehicle access — would aid the industry’s decarbonisation. Considering only hydrogen or electric-powered cars for free access or the most recent approved types could create a beneficial effect of scale for the industry, leading to a bigger market, he argued.chat.completion
