Clean Green Cars: OEMs go all out to defend fuel cells... but hide hydrogen angle

OEMs go all out to defend fuel cells... but hide hydrogen angle

Filed under: Hydrogen, Legislation and Policy, Green Daily

Hydrogen cars in Vancouver - click above for high-res image gallery

When you’re down and out, that’s when you find out who your real friends are. While there are calls for a more grassroots approach to hydrogen infrastructure development, the real pushers are the big automakers and the government. And, now that H₂ funding is under attack but also back in the mix, eight major automakers (or partnerships) - Daimler, Ford, GM/Opel, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Renault/Nissan and Toyota - have issued a joint press release saying they all “Stick up for Electric Vehicles with Fuel Cell” by signing a Letter of Understanding that they will work together on the development and market introduction of electric vehicles with fuel cells, especially from 2015 onward.

Note the change in message here. No longer does the word hydrogen have top billing. Instead, these H₂ cars are now electric vehicle that just happen to have fuel cells instead of batteries. Of course, this has always been the case, but it’s clear that hydrogen is now seen as a hot button term, and the eight automakers involved in this press release are backing away from it. Read the whole thing after the jump.

Gallery: Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicles