It’s a fact that 2012 has been a sad year for automakers rolling out hydrogen concept cars. And for Nissan it has been especially sad since they haven’t rolled out a new hydrogen concept car since they unveiled the X-Trail FCV in the year 2005.
But wipe away those tears since the Japanese automaker has announced it will unveil its Nissan TeRRA SUV concept vehicle at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this month on September 27. The Nissan TeRRA SUV concept uses the same electric propulsion system current found in the production battery electric car, the LEAF.
According to Nissan the TeRRA SUV concept, “ … combines two outstanding Nissan strengths – SUVs and EVs – in a vehicle that is equally in its element off-road in the wild or gliding silently through a sophisticated urban setting. With an innovative 4×4 fuel-cell electric powertrain and an athletic exterior that projects an unforgettable presence beyond its compact dimensions, TeRRA takes sustainable motoring into exciting new territory …
“ … Under the hood is ample space for Nissan’s proprietary hydrogen fuel cell stack: a flat, highly compact unit that features world-leading power density of 2.5kW/L. The latest in a series of Nissan fuel cells since 1996, the stack costs just one-sixth of its 2005 predecessor as the need for expensive precious metals has been slashed to one-quarter of the previous level.”
So, while this year overall has been a sad one in regard to carmakers rolling out new hydrogen car prototypes, Nissan has given us hope. The TeRRA SUV concept takes us one more step towards mass production in the year the 8 major car manufacturers have given us, 2015.
Here’s a short video that shows of the general concept behind the TeRRA SUV.
Well, at least one automaker has a new hydrogen concept vehicle to
debut. I am underwhelmed by it. Does it use laser metal hydride
storage or some other low pressure light weight hydrogen storage
system? Is it platinum free? No. Come on automakers, show us
that you have something that will be affordable if it is mass produced.
The problem isn’t so much that there are very few hydrogen fuel cell prototypes coming out, it’s the failure of automakers to try platinum
alternatives and figure out what is: cheaper, more durable, and more
plentiful. If I had the capital and the know how, I bet I could pass up
every single automaker on the planet by simply commercializing any
kind of platinum free electrode that will work satisfactorily. It could be as simple as picking the company with the most promising technology and funding them. How about all that stimulus money?
A striking problem, proprietary is another name for expensive. The automakers should be working together to produce the first affordable
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Until the first commercial hydrogen fuel
cell vehicle hits the market and does well, there should be NO
proprietary technology in my opinion.
Many politicians are willing to seriously pursue electric charging stations,
but this is a terrible idea for one simple reason. In a word, copper. For fuel cells the word is of course platinum. Another problem, green production technologies to generate hydrogen are by and large not commercialized.
This means that you can’t mass produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and
make a profit. Mass production is at a minimum a million vehicles a year. There is a chicken and egg problem still, nobody is commercializing the technologies that will make mass production of hydrogen both green and realistic so nobody is mass producing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that are price competitive with conventional vehicles either. Sadly at the same time, large reserves of domestic Oil are being tapped because the price is high enough now, so there is an Oil boom that is slowing the adoption of hydrogen.
I hate to be so pessimistic and negative, but what I see is a leadership as opposed to a technology problem at this point. I see no reason whatsoever why hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can’t become mass produced and affordable in ten years time or sooner from today.
Barring an environmentally friendly way to increase the platinum supply by mining another planet, asteroids, or a moon… platinum can’t be used in the fuel cell stack at all.
Where do I go to see this ride,how do I get one and the price,looking to buy soon,and I’m in love with this ride….
You may have to wait a while on this one. Hyundai has started to lease its fuel cell SUV in California and Toyota has said they will have an fuel cell vehicle for sale in the summer of 2015 in California and Japan. Germany is also expected to host hydrogen cars within the next couple of years.