Could a hydrogen powered IS be on the way?

Mincey · December 3, 2021

There's a hydrogen powered Yaris now - surely Lexus will follow it with a similarly powered IS now....?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1963653

Malc · December 3, 2021

Toyota ( Lexus ) have said there will be no conventionally powered new cars supplied by 2035 ... so Hydrogen will feature significantly across the range I'm sure as the years progress ....... I feel EV will be a " has been " unless someone finds a way NOT to use the rare minerals it takes to build one :unsure:

Malc

Las Palmas · December 3, 2021

Finally a way to keep an engine sounding like an engine.

Some of us veterans liked the sound of the engine.

Steve_S · December 3, 2021

There is no way that hydrogen will be a viable fuel source that meets mass market needs for small vehicle transport in the medium term (by medium term I basically mean pretty much the lifetime of most people on this forum). It is yet to be proven that providing green hydrogen (i.e. not produced from fossil fuels) is viable at commercial scale and no-one will provide the necessary supply infrastructure to compete with BEVs on these timescales. It will likely always be niche. Unless ICE cars are banned outright there is no reason why everyone on this forum can't continue to drive one until pretty much the end of your life. You just won't be able to buy a new one and your running costs will just get more and more expensive.

Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries that don't use cobalt are already being made at commercial scale and being used in BEVs.

I get the allure of the ICE. I was never a total petrolhead but I dabbled with classics and Alfa Romeos at times. But whenever I give anyone a lift in my IS300h they almost always complement the fact it is quiet and smooth. The sound of an engine is irrelevant to most people. I will transition over in a couple of years.

dutchie01 · December 3, 2021

I cannot see hydrogen taking another place than marketing for the automotive top 5. They will tell the story green environment H2O blabla etc but it will not reach mass production and is likely not to.

The big 5 have literally spend hundreds of billions ( not millions) in the changeover from ICE to BEV and it will take a decade at least before they can have return on those massive investments. Mind you those investments are needed to stay alive, In the next decade the automotive world will be hit by a massive invasion from Chinese manufacturers that will set up camp in this side of the world. And all is about BEV, not about Hydro.

ALAW · December 6, 2021

Anyone see that news report on the BBC this morning. It was dedicated to JAPAN and in particular Toyota and the mirami (have i spelt that right) and howJAPAN is moving to Hydrogen. They mentioned how it was produced i think they showed a coal fired power station as well. I dont know if you could catch this on catch up, it was bbc1 news.

Malc · December 7, 2021

On 12/3/2021 at 4:03 PM, Steve_S said:

and no-one will provide the necessary supply infrastructure to compete with BEVs on these timescales.

even tho' BP is intending to produce this fuel for cars in the north of England somewhere and no doubt put appropriate " pumps " at each of it's 1200 ( or is it 1500 ? ) fuel stations in the UK ??