The 2024 Paris Olympics claims to chop carbon emissions through 50% in comparison to the 2012 London Olympics. Along with offering vegan foods for athletes and no longer the use of air-con within the athletes’ village, the development has followed Toyota’s zero-emission hydrogen-powered car (often known as hydrogen fuel-cell car or HFCV), the Mirai, because the legitimate car of the video games. Alternatively, some students have identified that present HFCVs aren’t in truth eco-friendly. Who is correct? On this Kwiksure article, we give an explanation for the position of HFCVs on the Paris Olympics, and the adoption of such automobiles in Hong Kong.
Low Carbon Olympics
To succeed in carbon emissions relief targets, the Paris Olympics use 500 Mirai HFCVs equipped through Toyota as Olympic automobiles, transporting athletes, body of workers, volunteers and others from more than a few international locations all through the Olympics and Paralympics. Along with the Mirai, Toyota has additionally deployed its maximum eco-friendly low-carbon fashions, together with natural electrical automobiles (EVs), plug-in hybrids, and hybrids. After the Olympics, the Mirai vehicles might be reworked right into a hydrogen-powered taxi fleet in Paris.
Alternatively, no longer way back 120 scientists, engineers, and students from universities akin to Cambridge and Oxford issued a public enchantment calling upon the Paris Olympics to withdraw the Mirai because the legitimate car of the Video games. The reason being that recently, up to 96% of the hydrogen used is made from fossil fuels akin to methane, which additionally produce large amounts of carbon emissions within the conversion procedure, making it even much less eco-friendly than EVs. Alternatively, Toyota said that the hydrogen gasoline used on the Paris Olympics is derived from renewable resources akin to water and natural fabrics.
What are Hydrogen-powered Cars?
Hydrogen is a chemical component and an element in lots of herbal compounds, together with water. Many of us imagine that hydrogen-powered vehicles use hydrogen gasoline as a gas substitute. Alternatively, that is an oversimplification.
In a hydrogen-powered automobile, the hydrogen gasoline saved within the garage tank is transported to the gasoline cellular, the place it reacts chemically with the battery to provide electrical energy, which powers the motor to force the automobile–thus the title ‘hydrogen fuel-cell automobiles’ or HFCVs. HFCVs mix the traits of conventional gas vehicles and electrical vehicles. You’ll be able to call to mind the hydrogen as gas and the gasoline cellular because the engine cylinders, with their mixture generating {the electrical} energy that drives the motor.
Within the procedure, simplest water and warmth are produced, with out producing polluting gasses or elements the best way gas vehicles do. Additionally, a couple of mins’ price of refueling is sufficient to energy the car for masses of kilometers. A majority of these make hydrogen probably the most eco-friendly and possible car gasoline.
Shortcomings of Hydrogen as a Gas
Hydrogen gasoline is corrosive and extremely flammable, and this makes its transportation tough and expensive, leading to an overly gradual price of building up within the selection of refueling stations. In response to information from Taiwan’s Car Analysis and Checking out Heart, as of the top of 2023, there have been simplest 921 hydrogen refueling stations globally, and so they had been principally present in Germany, South Korea, and Japan. Moreover, since their manufacturing is small in scale and comes to handbook steps, hydrogen gasoline cells are pricey to fabricate. But any other the most important facet is the hydrogen garage tank, which takes up a vital quantity of area. For automobiles with slightly restricted area, that may be any other problem.
Introducing 4 Hydrogen-powered Cars
Toyota Mirai
Because the release of the primary era in 2014, Toyota has been actively growing hydrogen-powered automobiles and offered the second-generation Mirai in 2020. The brand new era makes use of the TNGA-L platform, and produces 182 playstation of energy and 300 Nm of torque. The automobile has 3 hydrogen garage tanks for a complete quantity of 141 liters, which is excellent for a most vary of about 650 km. The refueling may also be finished in 5 mins. It’s price bringing up that during August 2022, Toyota controlled to tug 1,360 km from only one tank of hydrogen, surroundings a Guinness International Report.
Hyundai Nexo
Following the ix35 and Tucson, Nexo is Hyundai’s 3rd HFCV, proceeding the SUV taste custom. The Nexo has a most energy of 161 playstation and most torque of 395 Nm. The automobile has a gasoline garage capability of 156 liters and a variety of about 611 km. With regards to apparatus, the automobile includes a virtual device panel, blind-spot symbol show, central display screen, and extra, which make the automobile fairly complex for a product offered in 2018. The producer has additionally introduced {that a} new era Nexo might be unveiled subsequent 12 months, which we predict will be offering much more options or even higher efficiency.
Honda CR-V e:FCEV
Honda formally introduced its first hydrogen-powered car, the CR-V e:FCEV, previous this 12 months. The brand new automobile is according to the sixth era CR-V, and is the primary fashion within the North American marketplace to mix hydrogen gasoline cells and plug-in hybrid era. The brand new automobile used to be offered out there in July by the use of a leasing program. The CR-V e:FCEV has a unmarried motor module at the entrance axle, offering a most energy of 176 playstation and 311 Nm in top torque. Evolved in collaboration with Basic Motors, the gasoline cellular may give a variety of as much as 600 km.
BMW iX5 HYDROGEN
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen makes use of the fifth era eDrive electrical force machine with a gasoline cellular evolved in collaboration with Toyota. It boasts a most energy of 406 playstation, with the producer claiming a zero to 100 km/h time of not up to 6 seconds. Even if the iX5 Hydrogen has been exhibited and test-driven world wide, and the primary batch of 100 devices were offered to make a choice consumers, the producer has said that they’re going to no longer cross forward with mass manufacturing simply but. The iX5 HYDROGEN is anticipated to go into mass manufacturing in 2026 on the earliest.
Adoption of Hydrogen Gas-Cellular Cars in Hong Kong
In June 2024, the Hong Kong executive introduced the ‘Technique of Hydrogen Building in Hong Kong,’ focusing principally at the business packages of hydrogen power. This comprises the advent of the primary hydrogen fuel-cell double-decker bus (Citybus direction 20) previous this 12 months, and plans to check 3 hydrogen fuel-cell boulevard sweepers through the top of the 12 months. Different trial initiatives come with bus firms construction hydrogen refueling stations at depots, and MTR trying out hydrogen-powered trains. Additionally, Hong Kong’s first public hydrogen refueling station is anticipated to open in Yuen Lengthy through the top of this 12 months. Even if HFCVs aren’t but to be had on the market in the neighborhood, this alerts we will be able to be expecting to look those automobiles to be offered within the close to long run.
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Evaluation of Adoption of Hydrogen Energy in Hong Kong
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October 2023
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Making plans for Hong Kong’s first public hydrogen refueling station is finished
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November 2023
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The primary hydrogen fuel-cell double-decker bus and devoted refueling amenities are examined
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February 2024
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The primary hydrogen fuel-cell double-decker bus (Citybus direction 20) enters carrier
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July 2024
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Towngas converts landfill gasoline into inexperienced hydrogen
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Finish of 2024
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The primary public hydrogen refueling station is anticipated to open
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Not unusual Questions
Q: How do hydrogen-powered automobiles paintings?
A: In a hydrogen-powered automobile, the hydrogen gasoline saved within the garage tank is transported to the gasoline cellular, the place it reacts chemically with the battery to provide electrical energy, which powers the motor to force the automobile.
Q: Are hydrogen-powered automobiles in use in Hong Kong?
A: In early 2024, Hong Kong’s first hydrogen fuel-cell double-decker bus (Citybus direction 20) entered carrier, and there are plans to check 3 hydrogen fuel-cell boulevard sweepers through the top of the 12 months.