Although Europe wants to completely ban thermal engines by 2035, the most common solution that will be adopted will be use of 100% electric vehicles. But they can be used electric battery but they can also be a fuel cell that runs on hydrogen. These fuel cell vehicles operate closer to thermal vehicles, as refueling with hydrogen can be done at a special station in just a few minutes. Hydrogen is then injected into the fuel cell and, in contact with oxygen, creates a chemical reaction that produces electricity. The perfect solution? Not really, because the way hydrogen is produced does not yet allow it to be always clean, and infrastructures are still rare.

Market niche

At the same time, it should be noted that there are not nearly as many new hydrogen car models as there are new 100% electric models. It’s a fact, hydrogen fueled vehicles don’t seem to be of as much interest to automakers as they once were. Some brands are not even interested in it at all. However, this technology is far from abandoned.

Builders endure

Other car manufacturers continue to work on this theme, such as Toyota, which introduced the new generation Mirai with a hydrogen engine, or more recently, BMW, which recently introduced the new iX5. This is a prototype that will be sold in several units to test the technology and test the market. This BMW iX5 will be equipped with the latest generation of fuel cells (developed in partnership with Toyota). They will be powered by an electric motor with a capacity of 275 kW or 374 horsepower. If these tests are conclusive, BMW plans to release a hydrogen electric SUV in 2025.

Very economical

Therefore, research into hydrogen cars continues., as a team from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. These students have just presented The Eco-Runner XIII, a very light hydrogen-powered vehicle, is capable of covering long distances on a small amount of hydrogen. With this vehicle weighs only 71 kg and how extremely aerodynamic, ambition even broke the world record set on a tank of 2,055 km one kilogram of hydrogen. For comparison, Toyota Mirai’s record is 1003 km with its 5.6 kg tank.

Eco-Runner XIII?

As the name suggests, this Eco-Runner XIII is an improved version of the previous iterations. Considering the long distance this Eco-Runner plans to cover, it has been specially reinforced. Thanks to the power of 400 W, it will reach a maximum speed of 45 km/h. At the end of May, he will take part in the Ecomarathon, which will be held in Nogaro, in the south-west of France. Delft students will compete against teams from all over Europe.