In recent years, billions of pounds have been invested in hydrogen vehicles, which could help reduce emissions from some of the most polluting vehicles on UK roads.
Many recent investments have focused on hydrogen fuel cell technology, with governments, organizations, and automakers all pledging funds to the promising technology. Bosch plans to invest £800 million in the development of hydrogen fuel cells and trucks, estimating that the market will be worth £15.2 billion by the end of the decade. This comes on top of the UK government’s £23 million commitment to the Hydrogen for Transportation Program.
Hyundai has also put a lot of money into the fuel source, which is something that other automakers are aiming for. Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s CEO, recently stated that he does not believe hydrogen combustion is feasible for cars, preferring instead fuel cells, which some interpreted as a dig at Hyundai’s foray into the field. The Japanese government has made significant investments in hydrogen in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
According to a survey conducted in 2021, 63 percent of respondents believe that car manufacturers should devote as much time and money to bringing hydrogen cars to UK roads as they do to bringing battery electric vehicles (EVs).
The Toyota Mirai and the Hyundai NEXO are the only commercially available hydrogen cars in the UK at the moment. According to the government, there are around 300 hydrogen vehicles on UK roads, the majority of which are passenger cars and buses. However, there is hope that hydrogen fuel cells will be used in larger vehicles such as lorries and heavy trucks.
