Hyundai’s ‘Hydrogen Vision 2040’ contains trailer drones and a gas cell supercar

No matter its issues along with inefficiency and air pollution, Hyundai is making a guess huge on hydrogen. The firm has unveiled a brand current design called Hydrogen Vision 2040, along with next-gen gas cell know-how and current thought autos embody autos, trailer drones and a 650 horsepower hybrid gas-cell sports actions automobile developed in conjunction with its current partner, Rimac.

Doubtlessly the most animated hydrogen product is the gas cell Trailer Drone, a cab-much less “hydrogen-powered container transportation machine able to running completely autonomously,” in accordance with Hyundai. Powered by the modular gas cell “e-Bogie” wheel sub-body, it’ll inch up to 1,000 km on a tank of H2, “equivalent to present container transportation machine.” The trailer itself would have the sensors and laptop techniques mandatory for independent riding. 

Hyundai

The e-Bogies would per chance well operate independently or be outdated in pairs to scheme up a Trailer Drone. Each and each bogie would per chance well flip independently, making the trailer more maneuverable than a protracted-established semi on tight streets. They’ll furthermore operate in platoons on the motorway to raise effectivity. On arrival, the trailer would per chance well mechanically dump itself by lifting onto legs, transformer vogue, while the e-Bogies power away to the subsequent process. The trailers would per chance well even be divided into three containers, making the massive majority of the day shuttle associated then breaking away into independent e-Bogies to the closing vacation web site. 

Hyundai

The automaker is also drawn to user tech, unveiling a 670 horsepower hydrogen accelerate-in hybrid sports actions automobile called the Vision FK thought developed in collaboration with Rimac. It be powered by Hyundai’s next-gen gas cell tech, mated to a smooth battery pack. As such, it would be plugged in for extra differ or powered by hydrogen. Since a gas cell would per chance well straight payment the battery (or powered the four independent motors), the operation would per chance well well be just a tiny more intellectual than a gas-powered hybrid automobile. 

Hyundai mentioned it would be in a house to pass about 600 km (372 miles) on a payment, and be refueled again in factual five minutes — not counting the battery recharge time. Because it stands now, it’s factual a thought and Hyundai has no concrete plans to set it in production. 

Hyundai

Hyundai also unveiled its third-know-how gas cell stack know-how, anticipated to realize in 2023 and change Hyundai’s present Nexo gas cell tech. They’ll be readily accessible in a 100 kW unit that is 30 percent smaller than Hyundai’s present 95 kW stack, and a 200 kW version associated in size to the present Nexo model however with bigger than double the output. 

The present gas cells bear a target lifetime of 500,000 km (310,000 miles), up from 160,000 km for the present know-how. Hyundai also expects the subsequent-gen tech to payment round half of of present gas cells. They’re also extremely modular, that suggests it’s seemingly you’ll well well presumably stack them to manufacture “Vitality Unit Modules” with up to a megawatt of output “ideal for emergency energy techniques for smooth ships or IT companies,” Hyundai mentioned. One other “paunchy-flat” machine retains the stack high beneath 10 inches for set up in the ground or ceiling of buses, trains or trams.

Hyundai

 One in all the most indispensable issues with hydrogen energy is the dearth of infrastructure and Hyundai is addressing that with the H Transferring Situation thought. It be a heavy-accountability automobile designed to supply hydrogen refueling products and services in areas with restricted infrastructure bask in rural areas or constructing web sites. It also unveiled the Rescue Hydrogen Generator Automobile (RHGV). Rather than allotting hydrogen, it uses hydrogen gas cells to generate electrical energy for stranded EVs or to energy properties in the tournament of an emergency outage. 

All of this appears to be like promising, however there is a reason most producers are transferring against battery-powered EVs and a ways from hydrogen. Hydrogen is a extremely explosive gas that desires to be stored at very high pressures (either 350 or 700 bar), making infrastructure pricey and complex. On high of that, most hydrogen outdated in the US is created by reforming methane the use of steam, a course of that produces indispensable portions of CO2 that contributes to world warming. It also doesn’t insist properly on the know-how that some its biggest strengthen comes from the oil commerce.