Lithium batteries are not the way to go. Japanese and Korean companies say hydrogen fuel is the future of new energy vehicles?

The emergence of iOS and Android phones completely overturned Nokia's monopoly on the smartphone market;

With the birth of WeChat, China Mobile and China Unicom's text messages only have the function of receiving verification codes.

The popularity of e-commerce food delivery has caused the sales of instant noodle king Master Kong to plummet;

The rise of the Internet industry is constantly challenging all offline industries.

It can be said that in this era, there is no industry whose products remain unchanged. In this era, only when businesses make changes to cater to market and consumer needs, constantly innovate products, make products more in line with market needs, and meet consumers' expectations, can brands remain invincible.

The same is true for the automotive industry. Despite the overall sluggishness in the auto market this year, sales of new energy vehicles have increased instead of decreased. In 2018, sales of new energy passenger vehicles reached 1.01 million units, a year-on-year increase of 83%, which is higher than market expectations.

Among the newly added 1.01 million new energy vehicles, it is found that they are all electric vehicles without exception. In fact, hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles should also be a new force that cannot be ignored.

Some even believe that on the road from fossil fuels to new energy, if hydrogen fuel can solve some safety issues during storage, perhaps electric vehicles will become a transitional product for hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles.

What are hydrogen fuel cells?

Let me first give you some basic knowledge. Hydrogen fuel cells use the chemical element hydrogen to make batteries that store energy. The basic principle is the reverse reaction of water electrolysis, where hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode and cathode respectively. After hydrogen diffuses outward through the anode and reacts with the electrolyte, it releases electrons and reaches the cathode through an external load.

It has three main characteristics:

1. No pollution: Hydrogen fuel cells use electrochemical reactions instead of combustion (gasoline, diesel) or energy storage (batteries). The latter two will release a large amount of gas and dust pollutants such as sulfide. Fuel cells only produce water. If hydrogen is produced by renewable energy, such as photovoltaic panels, wind power generation, etc., the entire cycle is a process that completely does not produce harmful emissions.

2. Noise-free: Fuel cells operate quietly, with noise levels of only about 55dB, equivalent to the level of normal conversation. This makes fuel cells suitable for indoor installation or outdoor locations with noise restrictions.

3. High efficiency: The kinetic energy conversion efficiency of fuel cells can reach more than 50%, which is determined by the conversion properties of fuel cells. Chemical energy is directly converted into electrical energy without the need for intermediate conversion of thermal energy and mechanical energy (generator).

Application of hydrogen fuel in automobiles

If we ask which country is at the forefront of hydrogen energy technology, Japan and South Korea will undoubtedly come to mind.

This is related to their national conditions. As an island country, Japan lacks national resources and relies on imports for fossil energy. In the future, it will inevitably need cleaner and more efficient energy to replace oil. Hydrogen energy is truly pollution-free, so the two hit it off and hydrogen energy became their best choice.

With the support of relevant Japanese authorities, hydrogen fuel cells have been well promoted in Japan. At the end of 2017, Japan proposed the concept of a "hydrogen energy society" and is expected to complete the construction of a zero-carbon hydrogen fuel supply system by 2040. Therefore, Japanese automakers will naturally become more enthusiastic about the research and development of hydrogen energy.

When it comes to Japan's hydrogen-powered cars, it's hard not to think of the brand - Toyota, and it's also hard not to think of the 2014 Mirai.

Mirai impressed the world with its ability to refuel with hydrogen in 3-5 minutes and have a range of 650 kilometers, and it also made the world recognize Toyota's research and development capabilities.

South Korea, also an island country, is always at odds with Japan, but its actions are honest. From IT to automobiles, its technology evolution has always followed Japan's path. The same is true for hydrogen energy, which is also actively exploring the technology.

In 2013, Hyundai's first hydrogen-powered car, the ix35, was launched, creating the first mass-produced hydrogen-powered car. However, its range is not as good as Toyota's Mirai.

At the end of last year, South Korean car companies once again launched a NEXO, which can reach a range of 595 kilometers and a maximum power output of 120kW. And acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometers? It only takes 9.5 seconds! It can be said that they are not working hard.

The operability of hydrogen energy popularization

There is still a long way to go to truly popularize hydrogen-powered vehicles. Let alone my country, Japan and South Korea can be regarded as international leaders in hydrogen fuel technology, but they still need to solve the problem of insufficient number of hydrogen refueling stations.

In 2016, there were more than 30,000 gas stations and more than 40,000 charging stations in Japan, but only a few hydrogen refueling stations. Judging from Japan's plan to build 320 hydrogen refueling stations by 2025, the scale is far from enough.

On the other hand, the transportation and storage of hydrogen is an urgent problem to be solved. Although storing and transporting hydrogen in liquid form can reduce safety risks, it still belongs to the category of hazardous chemicals, and the transportation technology needs to be mastered.

my country's hydrogen energy industry started relatively late. Policies, regulations, and technical standards need to be improved, the certification and supervision system is not yet sound, and the technology and equipment are yet to undergo technological breakthroughs. It is still in the early stages of development.

In fact, my country attaches great importance to the development of hydrogen energy. Now a situation has been formed in which lithium is in the south and hydrogen is in the north, and the north and the south have their own strengths and are making progress in research and development.

In fact, China's new energy vehicles cannot rely solely on lithium batteries, but must rely on "two legs" or even "multiple legs" to ensure our energy security. I believe that as time goes by and the relevant technologies of hydrogen energy are improved, it will have its own place in the new energy track in due course.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.