Scandinavian Countries Plan For Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars

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Scandinavian Countries Plan For Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars

Antony Ingram

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Nordic countries have consistently proven to be at the forefront of electric car and alternative fuel adoption, and now look set to take the lead with fuel cell vehicles too.

Several northern European countries have signed a memorandum of understanding with Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai, to work towards the development of fuel cell vehicles and installing a hydrogen infrastructure.

As reported by Wards Auto, companies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland are committing to a hydrogen-fueling infrastructure between 2014-2017. The Nordic countries join Germany in its promise to expand its hydrogen network.

In addition, the carmakers involved will now have greater confidence that their products will have a market.

The agreement coincides with a Honda announcement that it will produce an all-new fuel-cell electric vehicle, set to be launched in 2015. The Japanese carmaker is one of very few companies currently running trials with a production fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity.

Ken Kier, executive vice-president of Honda Europe, says "We want to continue to lead the way for fuel-cell technology across the world... [the memorandum] signifies that commitment."

The memorandum of understanding also adds to a previous agreement that set 2015 as a date for market introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles--into markets where a refueling infrastructure was in place.

All that should mean that fuel cell cars could soon be as popular as their battery electric counterparts in northern Europe.

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Comments (4)

Ted Graham Posted: 10/24/2012 1:21pm PDT

Hydrogen is totally impractical and a waste of resouces.
If NASA (and their unlimited budget) have given up on fuel cells in exchange for advanced lithium batteries I think the writing is on the wall. This is just another promise and delay tactic by the automakers. Fuel cell cars have always been "just 10 years away" for the last 30 years now!
Hydrogen is dangerous to transport and handle, it's infrastructure will cost $ trillions (needs chrome plated pipelines/storage facilities due to it's density), etc, etc...ain't gonna happen. Battery electrics (combined with solar PV installation) are the only realistic solutions if we plan on having a real change in the auto industry in the next 10-25 years.

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Andre Brien Posted: 10/25/2012 1:55pm PDT

The hydrogen cars and suvs are running well, last a long time and consume less and do not pollute and cost less as there is fewer parts and do not need maintenance. Now it's time to find ways to produce hydrogen efficiently with small cheap miniaturized machines, especially the water electrolyzers that are feeded by electricity and water because these machines don't have the need to be big and complicated. They can build for 10 000$ and the rest is installation cost. A new high efficiency hydrogen station can cost as low as 15 000$ to 20 000$ approx. These car manufacturers should wake-up and start to take care directly about this hydrogen infrastructure and install themself these machines at their dealerships and in actual gas stations.

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Jeff Hre Posted: 10/29/2012 1:14am PDT

Good points Andre Brien, except this part sounds a bit Science Fiction "writerish," "Now it's time to find ways to produce hydrogen efficiently with small cheap miniaturized machines, especially the water electrolyzers that are feeded by electricity and water because these machines don't have the need to be big and complicated. " Little AND insanely expensive right now.

Ted Graham, hopefully the Nordic countries can use their tax structures to help HEV enthusiasts to get cars and fuel at low enough price points for them to take the leap, it it helps remove mobile pollutant sources.

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Ted Graham Posted: 10/26/2012 5:27pm PDT

BS...the Honda FX Clarity costs over $300,000 per car to produce.
As I said NASA has given up on fuel cells realizing that advanced batteries are the way to go. If the geniuses at NASA and their unlimited budget have given up on Hydrogen I think it is stupid and wasteful for dumbass Auto manufacturers to think that they can solve the huge number of problems that hydrogen vehicles present.
The downsides are just too many to list here. Anyone who does just 30 mins of research on hydrogen will find out.
It's total hype that wastes resources that should be going to the REAL solution (BEV's + solar). Using solar or any renewable energy to create hydrogen is hugely inefficient. Much better off putting that electricity straight into your BEV.

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